Doctor Refuses To Disclose Patient's Medical Diagnosis To The Mother, Gets Served With A Court Notice Asking For The File

"This is a community hospital, and word of my refusal has spread"

Maryjane

• Published in Interesting
• May 21, 2023

Every patient has a right to private medical care. However, it can be difficult to combine confidentiality rights with obligations to safeguard and advance the health and welfare of patients who might not be able to defend themselves.

Doctors owe a variety of obligations to their patients. Their duties include both their personal conduct and the directives they issue to their assistants, including nurses, medical students, and residents.

The original poster of today's story is a medical doctor who works at a primary health clinic and usually gets around 30–40 patients every day. One day, a 20-year-old girl comes in with her mother, and the mother starts complaining of lower back pain, body aches, and decreased appetite in the girl.

After asking the girl a series of questions, she sent her for a urine pregnancy test without telling her the purpose of the test. Well, it came out positive, and the OP asked her questions.

Then she broke down immediately, saying that there was this boy with whom she had intercourse, but it was consensual. The OP made her handwrite a letter stating her acknowledgment of the diagnosis and that she wished to keep the information private.

The girl's mom stormed in, wanting to know the diagnosis, but the doctor wouldn't say anything to her. The next thing the OP knows is that he has been served a legal notice requesting that he send the file to a court of law. 

The headline

The OP kicks off with a little background of everything

The OP sent her for a urine pregnancy test, without telling her the purpose of the test

When the OP saw her after finishing up, she demanded that he tell her the diagnosis

The OP gave a written explanation to the lawyer, withholding the diagnosis of course

Redditors had a lot to say regarding this story and we've gathered up a bunch of their top replies for you below

This Redditor thanks the OP for doing the right thing

The woman's daughter can't hide the diagnosis forever

The OP was not only respectful to the girl but to the law as well

That is one problem about small communities

They have to understand technology well enough to keep data

The OP is under oath not to give medical information to other people

This Redditor wants to know if what the doctor did is legal

If the OP violates this, he can sued

The OP is following the law to the letter

The OP might want to delete the post once he gets a judgment

The woman sounds like a holy terror

Patient confidentiality is also highly valued

The OP is doing the right thing either way

The patient is refusing to confide in the mom and she's spending unnecessarily

It is illegal to give out medical information without permission

Working within the ethical and legal rule of HIPPA

If the girl or her mother were to read the OP's post, they might recognize the situation without having to worry about legal repercussions. Hopefully, the girl's mother is not a Reddit user, but if she does see this, she might be able to piece the events together.

Many redditors suggested the OP ought to delete the post after getting a judgment, and you too can leave your opinion in the comments section.

Maryjane