Confidentiality and Disclosure
Communication between the patient and doctor is strictly confidential. Even well-meaning family members are not automatically privy to such information. All people are entitled to confidentiality unless they give permission for disclosure or they clearly can no longer express a preference (for example, if they are severely confused or comatose).
Health care professionals are sometimes required by law to disclose certain information, usually because the condition may present a danger to others. For example, certain infectious diseases, such as syphilis and tuberculosis, must be reported to state agencies. Conditions that might seriously impair a person's ability to drive, such as dementia, must be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles in some states.
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