ethical question

anonymous · 03-06-2011, 11:58 AM

If you and your spouse share the same doctor and your spouse is not addressing a significant health issue they have is it ethical for you to tell the doctor and ask that he or she bring up the issue with spouse?

limey · 03-06-2011, 01:28 PM

I'd do it.

Sundae · 03-06-2011, 01:29 PM

I'd do it too, but the ethics are all on the Doctor. Whether he/she is able to address it is another issue.

zippyt · 03-06-2011, 01:30 PM

Yeppers , tough Nerts if it pisses off Spouse , you care enough to say some thing , they will get over it

Clodfobble · 03-06-2011, 01:49 PM

That's what spouses are supposed to do, take care of each other when the other one is being too pigheaded to take care of themselves.

DanaC · 03-06-2011, 01:52 PM

I think it would depend on the nature of the problem and the possible ramifications of not dealing with it.

Flint · 03-06-2011, 10:48 PM

Yes, that's your job.

monster · 03-07-2011, 12:12 AM

No. i wouldn't. But I'd make damn sure he went himself.
If it was the only way left, yes, I might, but that just isn't our relationship.

sexobon · 03-07-2011, 02:23 AM

Any couple going to go to the same doctor does so knowing that health histories and concerns are overlapping; so, there's no reasonable expectation of privacy between the spouses. That constitutes implied consent for the release of information about each other. For privacy, spouses should be going to separate doctors.

The physician; however, should not divulge any information about one spouse to the other without express consent. If you divulge something about your spouse to the physician, do not expect the physician to follow up with you (not even as to whether or not the matter was brought up with your spouse) without your spouse's express consent.

To avoid resentment and mistrust between spouses, I recommend telling your spouse that you're going to divulge such information to your shared doctor so your spouse has the opportunity to change doctors. If you don't give your spouse that opportunity and your actions are discovered, it may be construed as a betrayal. Your spouse may change doctors afterwards anyway and information you divulged to your shared doctor may be rendered moot. You could end up back where you began only with a diminished relationship.

There's a good chance your spouse won't find it worth the trouble to change doctors thus enabling you to prevail on the up and up.

GunMaster357 · 03-14-2011, 08:42 AM

Being married or just living together is a relationship based on trust.

If your health becomes an issue that you need to hide from your partner, you break the trust.

If you share the same doctor, my opinion is that the doctor should treat the two people as one entity.

Shawnee123 · 03-14-2011, 10:21 AM

If you don't like your spouse, best to let the disease take its course, but make sure you have plenty of life insurance on them.

If you like your spouse, I suppose you'd kick them in the ass until they got themselves evaluated.

Sneaky is too sneaky.

xoxoxoBruce · 03-14-2011, 06:38 PM

My mother would make an appointment for Pop, and go with him to make sure everything pertinent was discussed.

Aliantha · 03-14-2011, 06:44 PM

I would talk to the doctor. After all, I have no oath to prohibit me from talking about it, and if the doc has no prior knowledge, then there's no reason they can't discuss it with you, especially in the context that it affects your health in a round about sort of way.

BTW: Nice to see you posting Bruce.

HungLikeJesus · 03-14-2011, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha

I would talk to the doctor. After all, I have no oath to prohibit me from talking about it, and if the doc has no prior knowledge, then there's no reason they can't discuss it with you, especially in the context that it affects your health in a round about sort of way.

What about that whole "in sickness and in health" thing? You're trying to get out of the first part.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha

...

BTW: Nice to see you posting Bruce.

I agree.

Aliantha · 03-14-2011, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

What about that whole "in sickness and in health" thing? You're trying to get out of the first part.

Wanting your spouse not to be sick doesn't mean you don't love them if they are.

03-06-2011, 11:58 AM	#1
anonymous Operations Operative Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: in hiding Posts: 578	ethical question If you and your spouse share the same doctor and your spouse is not addressing a significant health issue they have is it ethical for you to tell the doctor and ask that he or she bring up the issue with spouse?

03-06-2011, 01:28 PM	#2
limey Encroaching on your decrees Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: An island within the south-west coast of Scotland Posts: 7,016	I'd do it. __________________ Living it up on the edge ... of civilisation, within the southwest coast of

03-06-2011, 01:29 PM	#3
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	I'd do it too, but the ethics are all on the Doctor. Whether he/she is able to address it is another issue. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

03-06-2011, 01:30 PM	#4
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	Yeppers , tough Nerts if it pisses off Spouse , you care enough to say some thing , they will get over it __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

03-06-2011, 01:49 PM	#5
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	That's what spouses are supposed to do, take care of each other when the other one is being too pigheaded to take care of themselves. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

03-06-2011, 10:48 PM	#7
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Yes, that's your job. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

03-07-2011, 12:12 AM	#8
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	No. i wouldn't. But I'd make damn sure he went himself. If it was the only way left, yes, I might, but that just isn't our relationship. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

03-07-2011, 02:23 AM	#9
sexobon I love it when a plan comes together. Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 9,793	Any couple going to go to the same doctor does so knowing that health histories and concerns are overlapping; so, there's no reasonable expectation of privacy between the spouses. That constitutes implied consent for the release of information about each other. For privacy, spouses should be going to separate doctors. The physician; however, should not divulge any information about one spouse to the other without express consent. If you divulge something about your spouse to the physician, do not expect the physician to follow up with you (not even as to whether or not the matter was brought up with your spouse) without your spouse's express consent. To avoid resentment and mistrust between spouses, I recommend telling your spouse that you're going to divulge such information to your shared doctor so your spouse has the opportunity to change doctors. If you don't give your spouse that opportunity and your actions are discovered, it may be construed as a betrayal. Your spouse may change doctors afterwards anyway and information you divulged to your shared doctor may be rendered moot. You could end up back where you began only with a diminished relationship. There's a good chance your spouse won't find it worth the trouble to change doctors thus enabling you to prevail on the up and up.

03-14-2011, 08:42 AM	#10
GunMaster357 Professor Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Brest (FRANCE) Posts: 1,837	Being married or just living together is a relationship based on trust. If your health becomes an issue that you need to hide from your partner, you break the trust. If you share the same doctor, my opinion is that the doctor should treat the two people as one entity. __________________ "War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." - Ambrose Bierce

03-14-2011, 10:21 AM	#11
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	If you don't like your spouse, best to let the disease take its course, but make sure you have plenty of life insurance on them. If you like your spouse, I suppose you'd kick them in the ass until they got themselves evaluated. Sneaky is too sneaky. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

03-14-2011, 06:38 PM	#12
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	My mother would make an appointment for Pop, and go with him to make sure everything pertinent was discussed. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

03-14-2011, 06:44 PM	#13
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	I would talk to the doctor. After all, I have no oath to prohibit me from talking about it, and if the doc has no prior knowledge, then there's no reason they can't discuss it with you, especially in the context that it affects your health in a round about sort of way. BTW: Nice to see you posting Bruce. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

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