Mag je informatie delen als patiënten iemand meenemen?

It is not uncommon for an adult patient to bring a friend into the doctor’s office. In this paper we examine whether or not a doctor can assume implicit consent to share or reveal the patient’s information in the presence of this other person. We examine the Dutch legal standards of medical confidentiality in this context and conclude that doctors should not readily assume implicit consent. A doctor should check the patients opinion on information-sharing, ideally without the presence of others. We give some practical ideas on how to discuss this in general and, more specifically, when the doctor suspects their patient to be a victim of domestic violence.

Conflict of interest and financial support: none declared.