Can doctors have friends as patients?

Some boundaries are clear. Professional medical organizations have strict rules against sex and romance with patients. Doctors are also advised not to treat family or close friends, situations that could compromise objectivity and judgment. Under HIPAA, it is a no-no to name-drop other patients.

Is it unprofessional for a doctor to date a patient?

The GMC makes it clear in its guidance it is never appropriate for a doctor to pursue a sexual or improper emotional relationship with a current patient or someone close to them. It is also inappropriate to end a professional relationship with a patient in order to then pursue a personal relationship.

Is it illegal for a doctor to talk about a patient?

Yes. The HIPAA Privacy Rule at 45 CFR 164.510(b) specifically permits covered entities to share information that is directly relevant to the involvement of a spouse, family members, friends, or other persons identified by a patient, in the patient’s care or payment for health care.

Can you be friends with a former patient?

The professional organizations of psychology (the American Psychological Association) and psychiatry (the American Psychiatric Association) offer no explicit rules about friendships with former patients.

Can doctors be friends with patients on Facebook?

Patients should consider that doctors are bound by guidance from the General Medical Council which states that you should not mix social and professional relationships and that: “Social media can blur the boundaries between a doctor’s personal and professional life and may change the nature of the relationship between …

Can doctors talk about patients with other doctors?

Even in cases not involving traumatic injuries, HIPAA allows doctors to share patient information and records with other health care providers as necessary for their health and treatment.

Can a doctor ignore a patient who refuses to have surgery?

But some doctors might conclude that it’s inappropriate to ignore the patient’s refusal because the patient was already blind and the procedure would just reverse a harm that’s already been done—not prevent one from happening. Our questions are designed to help physicians navigate this gray area.

When is treatment over a patient’s objection appropriate?

KP: A simple example of when treatment over a patient’s objection would be appropriate is if a psychotic patient who had a life-threatening, easily treatable infection was refusing antibiotics for irrational reasons. Treatment would save the patient’s life without posing significant risk to the patient.

Are physicians’ medical decisions ethically appropriate?

Depending on the physicians’ clinical judgment, awareness of the ethical issues, and knowledge of the law, their decisions may or may not be ethically appropriate. Part of the issue is there is nothing in the medical literature to help physicians deal with this challenging situation.

Are health care providers attracted to beautiful patients?

Well, here’s another angle that you might consider: while your girlfriend is no doubt beautiful and attractive to you, health care providers (like the rest of us), each have their own ideal of beauty and are likely not attracted to most of their patients.