Legal Definitions - doctor-patient privilege

Definition: Doctor-patient privilege, also known as physician-patient privilege, refers to a confidentialcommunication between a doctor and a patient that is protected from disclosure. This privilege is created by statutory language in most jurisdictions, but there are many exceptions that limit its protection. The purpose of this privilege is to allow patients to fully disclose confidential information about their illness without fear of compromising their privacy.

Examples:

• In re Bess Z.: In this case, the court ruled that the doctor-patient privilege applied to a minor who had disclosed information about her sexual activity to her doctor. The court found that the privilege protected the minor's right to privacy and prevented the disclosure of sensitive information.
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Peters' Bakery: In this case, the court ruled that the doctor-patient privilege did not apply to a bakery employee who had disclosed information about her medical condition to her employer. The court found that the employee had waived her privilege by disclosing the information to a third party.

These examples illustrate how the doctor-patient privilege can be applied in different situations. In the first case, the privilege protected the patient's right to privacy and prevented the disclosure of sensitive information. In the second case, the privilege did not apply because the patient had waived it by disclosing the information to a third party.