Physician–patient privilege

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Physician–patient privilege

Physician–patient privilege (pronunciation: /fɪˈzɪʃən peɪʃənt ˈprɪvɪlɪdʒ/) is a legal concept, related to medical confidentiality, that protects communications between a patient and their doctor from being used against the patient in court. It is a part of the law of evidence in many jurisdictions.

Etymology

The term "Physician–patient privilege" is derived from the Latin words 'privilegium', meaning a law affecting an individual, and 'patient', from 'patiens', the present participle of 'pati', meaning to suffer. The term 'physician' comes from the Greek word 'physike', meaning nature.

Definition

Physician–patient privilege is a legal doctrine, adopted by most jurisdictions, which protects communications between a patient and their doctor from being used against the patient in court. This privilege only applies to statements made in the course of gaining medical treatment, and in situations where the physician is a party to the proceedings.

Related Terms

  • Medical confidentiality: This is an important principle in the field of healthcare, which states that all information related to a patient's condition, treatment, and personal details should be kept confidential by the healthcare provider.
  • Law of evidence: This is a set of rules and legal principles that govern the proof of facts in a legal proceeding.
  • Legal doctrine: This is a framework, set of rules, procedural steps, or test, often established through precedent in the common law, through which judgments can be determined in a given legal case.

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