BSHS/335
My case study was number 14. Tavion’s father brought him to the Methodist Hospital for a broken arm and he was reluctant to leave his son’s side. And what his father said about the broken arm did not seem to be true. The father was not allowed to come during the X-ray and then the nurses asked the boy about the broken arm, how he got it. Father’s claim about Tavion falling from jungle gym seemed false because the injuries were clean, and the nurses asked Tavion if he’s scared of getting beaten at home and he said no. Before leaving hospital, Tavion’s father requested to not release the medical reports without his consent and the following weekend Tavion’s divorcee mother asked for a copy of them, because she suspects abuse.
If she thinks that the father abuses Tavion, then she indeed has the right to know this, so to request the medical report from the hospital which allows the hospital to investigate the father. If the mother has concerns then it should be looked upon as she knows Tavion’s father more than any hospital staff. Tavion’s mother can also go to the department of children families or police if she believes that her child is physically abused by the father and they can initiate further investigation. If anything is unclear, police can talk to the child. Forces impacting this case are – father not interested to release the records while the mother wants them, and whatever the father said is not true.
The confidentiality of the child’s medical reports is the legal issue in this case. The father told not to release the medical reports to anyone unless he gives the consent, and on the other hand the hospital staffs have the right to investigate for abuse. A non-custodial parent may see the reports in case: 1. If the child is not adult enough for own consent to treatment 2. Releasing the information impacts therapeutic treatment relationship. 3. If the parent has an active concern about the