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Usually at day’s end, I spend a few minutes with Bobby. He brings me up to date on phone calls, messages, and other business related items. Then, we share a few minutes of light chatter and, sometimes, even go for a drink or something to eat. Not today. The moment my last patient left, I pulled out my material on patient confidentiality. Bobby appeared in my office to tell me he was leaving. I looked up from my books, nodded, then dived back into my investigation.
There were exceptions when a doctor could breach confidentiality. The section I researched was when the patient was a danger to herself or others. In certain situations it was not only permissible under the law, but obligatory. If Lola killed Jackie–a big IF–notifying the authorities could not prevent harm to Jackie, but wha
