I was trying to find information on what you should do if a patient doesn't want her violent boyfriend to know she's getting an abortion. She wants all communications sent to her post ofice box and to phone her only at work.What should the doctor do. and would the advice be different if she says that not doing this will endanger her.
2 answers
I believe the doctor must follow the patient's instructions. A boyfriend has no claim on her, nor can he legally access any of her medical records.
If she is underage, a parent might need to be included, but if she is over 18, there are clinics and county offices that are there to help in any situation. If she were to go there or to any doctor's office, her records will be strictly confidential. She would have to sign a release in order to have any of her records shown to anyone. She would not even have to include the name of the would be father. In any situation, the doctor would comminicate with her however she had requested. If she can only get calls at work, she would just give them that number, if she only needed to get info through the mail, they can do that as well.