A physical therapist receives a phone call from a woman demanding to know when her daughter-in-law’s next appointment is.

Order Instructions

A physical therapist receives a phone call from a woman demanding to know when her daughter-in-law’s next appointment is. The therapist tells the woman that she cannot disclose any information, and the woman becomes very angry and abusive, threatening to make a complaint. After the phone call, the therapist logs into the electronic medical record system to make a note about the conversation. However, since the two women share the same last name, the therapist accidentally accesses the woman’s record instead of the daughter-in-law’s record. The therapist realizes the mistake, but not before spotting that the woman suffers from a serious mental health disorder, which might explain her behavior on the phone. The therapist mentions to her supervisor the possibility of a complaint being brought and also mentions that the woman has a history of mental health problems. Do you feel that there has been a breach of confidentiality? Why or why not? How should the supervisor handle this situation? Should the patient be notified?

In your responses to your peers, indicate whether you agree with them about the way the situation was handled, and explain why or why not.