The case of H.S.: the ethics of reporting alcohol dependence in a bus driver.
The physician's duty to preserve patient confidentiality is challenged when doing so may endanger third parties. We present the case of a bus driver whose alcohol dependence raised concerns of a risk not only to his own health and safety, but to public safety as well. We first examine the legal and ethical obligations to report his alcohol use to his employer and then stress the importance of weighing the potential harm of violating patient-physician confidentiality against the severity of risk to the general public.
Karol
David E
DE
Case Western Reserve University, USA.
Schuermeyer
Isabel N
IN
Brooker
Craig A
CA
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000592:standards; D017007:Duty to Warn / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D026690:Ethics, Clinical; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D010819:Physician's Role / Q000523:psychology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D014481:United States