Ethics

You discover that your long-time patient has recently contracted HIV. She asks you not to tell her partner, who does not have a history of HIV. What should you do?

Main Idea

The main idea is to mention your understanding of respecting patient privacy but to acknowledge that there are certain cases—like with lethal communicable diseases—where you must break privacy. Before you do so, you must encourage the patient to tell her partner herself.

In scenarios like this, I often must adhere to the ethical values of confidentiality and autonomy. In this case, my patient has asked me not to tell her boyfriend about her HIV status. While I understand her wish to keep her spouse at peace, it is equally vital to evaluate the ramifications of withholding this information.
However, as a healthcare provider in this scenario, I am also bound by rules and regulations concerning infectious disease re... (+ 168 words)

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Go Beyond
GO BEYOND

Explain the laws surrounding breaking patient privacy in your state/province (+ 6 more suggestions)

Avoid
AVOID

Avoid suggesting biases or prejudices against patients with HIV