Paula is a 17-year-old client in the daytime partial hospitalization program. Her mother phoned and requested to know Paula’s psychiatric diagnosis so that she could inform the family’s physician who is treating Paula for diabetes. You should:
a. Advise the mother of the diagnosis and the name of the psychiatrist who made the diagnosis.
b. Call the family physician directly and advise him of the diagnosis.
c. Ask Paula to sign a release of information form giving consent for the physician and the mother to be advised of her diagnosis.
d. Refuse to release the information at all.
The hypothetical practice situations that follow are designed to stimulate thinking and discussion on the issue of confidentiality. Each situation is followed by a multiple-choice list of possible responses you might make. Choose the responses that you consider the best. In some cases you might want to use more than one of the responses listed. Others may choose a different answer. Discuss with your fellow students the different possibilities and what might present the best outcome for the client.
