Patient Confidentiality Not Violated When Physicians in Same Medical Office Communicated About Patient's HIV Status

Suesbury v. Caceres, 840 A.2d 1285 (D.C. 2004)

The District of Columbia, where this case arose, has recognized the tort of breach of the confidential physician-patient relationship.  A patient, who was HIV positive, brought a lawsuit against a physician and his medical office, claiming such a breach.  The claim arose when one of the patient's doctors sent a memorandum to another doctor within the medical office regarding a claim by the patient that the second doctor had sexually molested him.  The memo disclosed that the patient's HIV status had recently deteriorated...

Found in DMHL Volume 24 Issue 1