Celebrity medical information - patient confidentiality?!


Question: Celebrity medical information - patient confidentiality?
I just saw an article in People magazine that Serena Williams had a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs). When some celebrities receive treatment at hospitals there are news conferences by doctors explaining what's going on with the patient. Isn't there patient confidentiality for celebrities?

Answers:

That article quotes Serena Williams' representative. Medical providers are bound by confidentiality laws. In the event that a doctor or hospital employee holds a press conference regarding a patient, it is done with the patient's permission. It is the fastest way to get the news out without fielding call from mobs of reporters.

In hospitals that have electronic medical record systems, management can check who has accessed a patient's record, and audits are often done to make sure employees are not peeking.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,…



There should be - but I bet soetimes they need the attention




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