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Sharing patient information between professionals: confidentiality and ethics
Author(s) -
BraunackMayer Annette J,
Mulligan Ea C
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2003.tb05195.x
Subject(s) - confidentiality , autonomy , patient confidentiality , information sharing , psychology , internet privacy , patient consent , personal autonomy , informed consent , medicine , medical emergency , political science , law , computer science , alternative medicine , pathology
Abstract Careful consideration of the ethical implications is required before patient information should be shared without the patient's knowledge. Routine and apparently uncontroversial releases of information can be perceived as problematic by patients. The ethics of such “ordinary” breaches of confidence can be explored by considering the patient's autonomy, the patient's best interests, and the public interest in preserving or breaching confidentiality. Patient autonomy can be supported and ethical problems may be avoided when patients are given as much information as possible about foreseeable information disclosures.