Medical Malpractice and Breaches of Confidentiality
Patients and doctors need to have relationships based on trust. This is the basis for effective care and for a proper rapport being established. At the heart of this trust is a pact of confidentiality, and it's important that this is maintained. When it is broken, the medical professional responsible needs to be held accountable for this serious infraction.
Our team of medical malpractice attorneys takes all forms of professional misconduct seriously. That goes for mistakes in the surgical suite as well other as professional improprieties. Right now, our team would like to consider the nature of confidentiality breaches and why these need to be taken very seriously.
About Doctor-Patient Confidentiality
Doctor-patient confidentiality basically means that any information at a doctor's office stays within the doctor's office. This means medical records, x-rays, diagnoses, and prescriptions.
There are some common sense exceptions to this, of course, such as the doctor sharing some of these medical records with medical organizations or health insurance providers. Yet we should note that even these exceptions adhere to tight restrictions in order to ensure that the patient's privacy is maintained.
What is a breach of confidentiality?
A breach of confidentiality refers to any case where the information that is intended to be private is leaked to an outside party without the consent of the patient. This breach of confidentiality can even take place after the patient has visited the doctor or even after the death of the patient. These records are meant to be kept private.
Why a Breach of Confidentiality Needs to Be Taken Seriously
Breaches in doctor-patient confidentiality, apart from being highly unprofessional, can also make life for a patient very difficult. Disclosures of medical conditions to media outlets or to employers can lead to an unfair stigma, unwanted attention, and unfair treatment. There is also the chance of harming a person's reputation or the reputation of the people close to the patient. In the Internet age, this concern becomes especially important, and offices need to ensure they have proper safeguards in place to restrict access to any digital medical records.
What Our Attorneys Can Do for You
Our legal team will take the medical professional or professionals who leaked your confidential information to task. Using our knowledge of medical law, we will ensure that this offense does not go unpunished. As we work to obtain just compensation for you and your loved ones, we will give you the peace of mind to carry on as usual and address the fallout of this confidentiality breach.
Other Examples of Medical Malpractice
In addition to addressing breaches in doctor-patient confidentiality, our team also helps those who have suffered as a result of misdiagnosis, prescription errors, hospital errors, and anesthesia errors. We can help with any act of unprofessionalism or negligence by medical staff.
Learn More About Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
If you would like to learn more about medical malpractice lawsuits and what your legal options are following an instance of negligence my a physician, be sure to contact our Salt Lake City medical malpractice attorneys today. Our entire team looks forward to meeting you in person and helping in your time of legal need.
