It is essential to balance the duty to protect the patient's confidence against the physician's responsibility to the members of the public at risk. Physicians with relationships with multiple family members must honor each individual's confidentiality. Difficult issues, such as domestic violence, sometimes challenge physicians to maintain impartiality. In many instances, physicians can help conflicted families towards healing. As always, when a risk for imminent harm is identified, the physician must break confidentiality.
Physicians can be proactive about addressing the needs of changing family relationships.
Sometimes teens have questions they would like to discuss with me. If that happens to you, it's okay to tell your parents that you'd like an appointment. You and I won't have to tell your parents what we talk about if you don't want to, but sometimes I might encourage you to talk things over with them. The physician-family relationship also holds considerable healing power. The potential exists to pursue options that can improve the quality of life and health for the entire family.