When and in what situation is it legal and ethical to reveal a patient's personal information is an issue that may never be resolved. There are simply too many different situations and perspectives to give a clear black and white answer on what should and should not be said. My personal opinion, however, is that patient confidentiality should never be breached unless the patient has already committed a crime, and then only if it is a capital offense. I have a very conservative view on patient confidentiality, as I do not believe people should be able to take someone's trust and throw it away, all the while being called a hero. I think unless the government enacts a new national law that required doctors to report certain items, the doctor should try to be as lenient as possible. I do not believe in preventative crime solving. Every time someone tries to stop someone from doing something before they do it, hundreds of ethical implications crop up. Thus, if a patient has not committed an offense, no matter how much they talk about it, they should not be reported. I believe that the punishment should come after the offense, not at the risk that the patient may act out. Many will argue against me, saying that there will be many victims, even casualties that will arrive from such a viewpoint. I understand this, but there will be dozens more victims who are "at risk" of committing a crime, when all they wanted was medical or psychological help. Obviously, if a patient murders someone then yes, he or she should be reported for safety, but if a patient slipped and dropped acid then went to the psychologist for help, then I do not believe it is ethically right for the doctor to out the patient, especially if the patient had gone to the doctor to confess or seek aid. The simple fact is that either way many people will be hurt, I merely seek to minimize the pain. Of course, the only way to have an actual solution is through federalized law. The government needs to institute rules, not guidelines. Only then can we have nationally balanced confidentiality.
Throughout this project we have covered the overall question, the legal implications to the issue, and the overall controversy surrounding patient confidentiality. We have discussed how the community feels and how the judicial system views this problem faced by doctors. We have gone over the potential problems that might arise such ethical dilemmas, and the different ways people interpret such situations. As medical research progresses, patient confidentiality becomes a larger issue. It is ultimately the duty of the medical field as well as the legal field to find the right amount of rights for the patient.
Throughout this project we have covered the overall question, the legal implications to the issue, and the overall controversy surrounding patient confidentiality. We have discussed how the community feels and how the judicial system views this problem faced by doctors. We have gone over the potential problems that might arise such ethical dilemmas, and the different ways people interpret such situations. As medical research progresses, patient confidentiality becomes a larger issue. It is ultimately the duty of the medical field as well as the legal field to find the right amount of rights for the patient.