doctor patient confidentiality

cena

jUST WONDERING is a receptionist allowed to open a doctors letter and read it if its about a patient. I.ve been in the doctors a few times lately and said receptionist has said to those letting them know that they were their for the doctors appointment and have said they got the results in the post etc.

Would ye say that there is no confidentiality between the doctor and patient and is there was law been broken

antodeco

After hours, doctors and receptionists? Really?

/in before the porn

28064212

After Hours is definitely the best place to ask this

cena

were is the best place so. Mod move if needed

stupidusername

yes a secretary is allowed to read it.

frag420

cena wrote: »

were is the best place so. Mod move if needed

Soccer forum..............

FatherLen

cena wrote: »

were is the best place so. Mod move if needed

thunder dome

cena

cena wrote: »

jUST WONDERING is a receptionist allowed to open a doctors letter and read it if its about a patient. I.ve been in the doctors a few times lately and said receptionist has said to those letting them know that they were their for the doctors appointment and have said they got the results in the post etc.

Would ye say that there is no confidentiality between the doctor and patient and is there was law been broken

Doctor patient confidentiality is not strictly just between a doctor and their patient. The doctor may discuss your case with others involved in your care e.g. specialists such as cardiologists, neurologists etc, other professions such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and so on. The secretary falls into this extended group. As he/she is responsible for organising patient records/test results etc. it is not practical for them to be kept out of the loop. However, all of the people mentioned must only discuss patient details with professionals dealing with that specific case, and can't for example go down to the local shop and start blabbing about Mary Murphy's positive HIV test.

lazygal

Deleted User wrote: »

Doctor patient confidentiality is not strictly just between a doctor and their patient. The doctor may discuss your case with others involved in your care e.g. specialists such as cardiologists, neurologists etc, other professions such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and so on. The secretary falls into this extended group. As he/she is responsible for organising patient records/test results etc. it is not practical for them to be kept out of the loop. However, all of the people mentioned must only discuss patient details with professionals dealing with that specific case, and can't for example go down to the local shop and start blabbing about Mary Murphy's positive HIV test.

Mary has HIV? I must tell the neighbours.

frag420

lazygal wrote: »

Mary has HIV? I must tell the neighbours.

now ya tell me................

themadchef

cena wrote: »

jUST WONDERING is a receptionist allowed to open a doctors letter and read it if its about a patient. I.ve been in the doctors a few times lately and said receptionist has said to those letting them know that they were their for the doctors appointment and have said they got the results in the post etc.

Would ye say that there is no confidentiality between the doctor and patient and is there was law been broken

You'll be expecting him to answer his own phone next.

Of course a receptionist opens mail, she files stuff away too.

She probably has a confidentiality clause in her contract.

Miaireland

Yes they are allowed, however the confidentiality rules apply to them.

To be fair in most Doctor's there is a large volume of post daily. If the Doctor had to sort it on his own a lot of time would be taken up that should be spent seeing patients.

blackwhite

cena wrote: »

jUST WONDERING is a receptionist allowed to open a doctors letter and read it if its about a patient. I.ve been in the doctors a few times lately and said receptionist has said to those letting them know that they were their for the doctors appointment and have said they got the results in the post etc.

Would ye say that there is no confidentiality between the doctor and patient and is there was law been broken

There's no law about Doctor-patient confidentiality to begin with. It's part of the professional standards that doctors are required to adhere to by their professional organisations as a requirement for ongoing membership.
You could make a complaint to the Medical Council if you think there's a breach, but that's about it.
As for the receptionist, support staff can be entrusted with the information if the doctor sees fit, but it's up to the doctor to then ensure that the receptionist, nurse, secretary or whoever else doesn't disclose the information to an outside party.

cena

blackwhite wrote: »

There's no law about Doctor-patient confidentiality to begin with. It's part of the professional standards that doctors are required to adhere to by their professional organisations as a requirement for ongoing membership.
You could make a complaint to the Medical Council if you think there's a breach, but that's about it.As for the receptionist, support staff can be entrusted with the information if the doctor sees fit, but it's up to the doctor to then ensure that the receptionist, nurse, secretary or whoever else doesn't disclose the information to an outside party.

The said person Is married to a cousin, he always tells ous to be careful what you say to her. We've gone visiting them and she gossips about the patients that come in. One or have had cancer scares etc and she had told ous about it before most people around the area would know

blackwhite

cena wrote: »

The said person Is married to a cousin, he always tells ous to be careful what you say to her. We've gone visiting them and she gossips about the patients that come in. One or have had cancer scares etc and she had told ous about it before most people around the area would know

Then complain to the doctor that their receptionist is breaching confidentiality.

If they don't deal with the issue then take it up with the Medical Council and possibly the Data Commissioner.

None of this changes the fact that "Doctor-Patient" confidentiality is not a concept covered by law.

biko

AH, the new Legal Discussion forum - but better.

Chuck Stone

cena wrote: »

The said person Is married to a cousin, he always tells ous to be careful what you say to her. We've gone visiting them and she gossips about the patients that come in. One or have had cancer scares etc and she had told ous about it before most people around the area would know

She's a gossiping bitch then and is breaching confidentiality.

Report her.

KilOit

Who do you think types those lovely well worded letters all neat and tidy?
Secretary has access to everything in your chart and some would dictate the letters. I'm clerical in a hospital past couple of years and have never came across a clerical staff member discussing details about a patient, we all sign a confidentiality agreement, it's the one thing you'd get sacked over.

Irishwolff

Its abit like going to the local bank where the person can see everything that is in your bank a/c
Its even worse when you know the person and you prefer them not to know how much money you have

cena

Irishwolff wrote: »

Its abit like going to the local bank where the person can see everything that is in your bank a/c
Its even worse when you know the person and you prefer them not to know how much money you have[/QUOTE

well thank you. She is local. Hate her knowing my personal stuff or any of my familys. I like to Myself private the less that know the better.

I hate going to the local bank too as one of my friends father working there. Hate the thought of him knowing my bank blance

WoollyRedHat

Deleted User wrote: »

Doctor patient confidentiality is not strictly just between a doctor and their patient. The doctor may discuss your case with others involved in your care e.g. specialists such as cardiologists, neurologists etc, other professions such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and so on. The secretary falls into this extended group. As he/she is responsible for organising patient records/test results etc. it is not practical for them to be kept out of the loop. However, all of the people mentioned must only discuss patient details with professionals dealing with that specific case, and can't for example go down to the local shop and start blabbing about Mary Murphy's positive HIV test.

If the doctor has sex with a patient, does he not have to tell his wife?

goose2005

cena wrote: »

The said person Is married to a cousin, he always tells ous to be careful what you say to her. We've gone visiting them and she gossips about the patients that come in. One or have had cancer scares etc and she had told ous about it before most people around the area would know

:pac: you live in westmeath, right?

cena

goose2005 wrote: »

:pac: you live in westmeath, right?

No why

token101

cena wrote: »

The said person Is married to a cousin, he always tells ous to be careful what you say to her. We've gone visiting them and she gossips about the patients that come in. One or have had cancer scares etc and she had told ous about it before most people around the area would know

See how she likes malicious rumours. Tell your family she tried to suck your cock when you were young. That'll f***ing learn her.

ScumLord

Are you watching porn now? I think that association to porn was a bit loose, you'll only have people thinking your **** 24/7 and thinking off nothing bit porn.

antodeco wrote: »

After hours, doctors and receptionists? Really?

/in before the porn

token101

ScumLord wrote: »

Are you watching porn now? I think that association to porn was a bit loose, you'll only have people thinking your **** 24/7 and thinking off nothing bit porn.

That's the dream right there

woodoo

I was in Tesco's last week and the doctors receptionist was there too, she shouted across the shop floor at me..."did that hemorrhoid cream work woodoo?"

Jezek

Worked as a hospital receptionist for years, had access to all kinds of results, the thing is no-one ever looked at them you just filed them, as it was considered inappropriate for you to be reading the results - never necessary! Also we did sign confidentiality clauses and all that. Never heard about any of my colleagues discussing anything about anyone's results - gossip was more along the lines of which doctor was banging which nurse/receptionist.