Patient Confidentiality Research Paper

III) Confidentiality and Doctor-Patient Relationship
Confidentiality is central of trust in the doctor-patient relationship. Doctors diagnose and treat sickness based on information given to them by the patient in confidence. Confidentiality is a main condition which allows patients to communicate their symptoms, experience, beliefs, concerns and expectations about their disease and their treatment. Confidentiality is essential to safeguard a patient’s dignity, respect, privacy and autonomy and extends after death. The safeguarding of patient confidentiality is a main principle of medical ethics which dates back to the Hippocratic Oath. Confidentiality is both a patient’s right and a doctor’s duty.