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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jane d on October 14, 2003, at 3:15:28
I'm wondering if doctors are required to keep confidential information I might give them in relation to a relatives care. For example if I were to tell my father's doctor about my own psychotropic medication experience with the idea that it might help in selecting an appropriate drug for him, would that doctor be required to keep my experience confidential from outside parties? Would he have an obligation to me or just to my father or none at all?
My example is about medication but I think it would apply just as much in any other situation where family genetic information might be useful.
Thanks,
Jane
Posted by EscherDementian on October 14, 2003, at 7:26:39
In reply to My privacy rights with relatives' doctors? , posted by jane d on October 14, 2003, at 3:15:28
i'm confused- what is your intent? To gain info for your own wellbeing (in which case ask your relative yourself, or your own Doc can ask your relative's Doc for a release from said relative)...
OR to find a sideways way to get info RE: your relative.
I'll admit your question confuses me at this late time in the early AM, but the latter is what it sounds like to me... ??
Posted by EscherDementian on October 14, 2003, at 7:28:53
In reply to My privacy rights with relatives' doctors? , posted by jane d on October 14, 2003, at 3:15:28
i just read your post again.
Please forgive.Bedtime for Bozo.
~Escher
Posted by Penny on October 14, 2003, at 7:51:58
In reply to My privacy rights with relatives' doctors? , posted by jane d on October 14, 2003, at 3:15:28
I don't know that I would say your father's doc has any obligation to you to keep your information private, as he is not your treating physician. However, I'm not sure what purpose his sharing such info would serve, so I would imagine the information would stay with him. However, he, of course, would have an obligation to your father. I guess what I'm thinking of is that he could share such info with your father (if necessary), as your father is the patient and you are not, but wouldn't share it with outside parties.
That would be my guess.
Posted by jane d on October 14, 2003, at 23:48:43
In reply to Forgive the above , posted by EscherDementian on October 14, 2003, at 7:28:53
> i just read your post again.
> Please forgive.
>
> Bedtime for Bozo.
> ~EscherS'ok. I just reread my post too and I'm surprised anyone could make sense of it. I think I should have gone to bed about an hour earlier that night. And I probably should sign up for the first remedial writing course I can find also.
My intentions were honorable(at least this time). I worry that my extensive first hand exposure to psychiatric drugs might be misinterpreted by some. I usually try to be fairly open about it but in this particular case I don't dare risk my credibility.
Jane
Posted by jane d on October 15, 2003, at 0:18:10
In reply to Re: My privacy rights with relatives' doctors? » jane d, posted by Penny on October 14, 2003, at 7:51:58
> I don't know that I would say your father's doc has any obligation to you to keep your information private, as he is not your treating physician. However, I'm not sure what purpose his sharing such info would serve, so I would imagine the information would stay with him. However, he, of course, would have an obligation to your father. I guess what I'm thinking of is that he could share such info with your father (if necessary), as your father is the patient and you are not, but wouldn't share it with outside parties.
>
> That would be my guess.Penny,
That's kind of the way I figure it would work in practice but I'd like to know if there are any ethical or legal restrictions on them or if I am just depending on their good will.
I wouldn't ask the doctor to keep anything from my father but I read an article recently that has bothered me since. I don't remember the exact details but it went something like this. A doctor, who was screening a man's children as potential transplant donors, discovered that one of them was not actually the son of his patient. The donor was a good match anyway so he decided to use him. What I remember clearly was that he chose NOT to tell his patient. Apparently he decided that, risky as a transplant is, his patient wasn't entitled to all the medical information available. If I were that patient I'd feel that the doctor had neglected his obligation to me and I'd be furious.
Jane
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