The conflict between accountability and confidentiality in Medicare's access to psychiatrists’ notes

Abstract

Objective: The aims of this paper were to identify a conflict between psychiatrists’ obligations regarding patient confidentiality and Medicare's auditing procedures, and to examine potential resolutions to the conflict.

Conclusion: While it is reasonable for Medicare, as a taxpayer-funded instrumentality, to require documentary evidence to substantiate and justify claims, such a requirement constitutes a significant breach of patient confidentiality. Obtaining patient consent appears to be the only ethical resolution of the issue.

Key words::

• confidentiality
• ethics
• Medicare, psychiatry

Disclosure

The author reports no conflict of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.