Confidentiality In Medical Ethics

You are working at the desk in your hospital when another employee of the hospital asks for information about a patient who was admitted last night with a pulmonary embolus secondary to cancer. You know the details of the case. The person requesting the information states that he is a close friend and coworker of your patient. He shows you proper identification proving he really is a coworker of your patient who also works in the hospital.

Which of the following is the most appropriate response to this request?

A. Give him the information on the patient.
B. Give him the information only if he is a relative of the patient.
C. Inform him that you are not at liberty to give details regarding the patient without the patient's permission.
D. Have him sign a release or consent form before revealing the information.

Answer: C. Inform him that you are not at liberty to give details regarding the patient without the patient's permission.

Discussion:  Confidentiality is a fundamental right of all patients. As part of maintaining the patient's autonomy in revealing information only to those they wish to be informed of their condition you must refuse to release any specific information of the patient's medical history or current medical problems without direct permission from the patient. Respect this right even if the person asking is, indeed, a coworker or even  their superior. You have no idea if medical information may be used to discriminate against the patient. 

Separate from this, third parties have no automatic right to a patient's medical information unless they are directly involved in the care of the patient. This would hold true even if the person seeking information is a health-care worker if they are not directly involved in the care of the patient. 

Have the patient not the person requesting the information-sign the consent form for release of information confirming that they are giving you permission to release information.