Question

*Case study question

A young man enters pilot training and needs to take a leave of absence owing to mental health issues, which he describes as “burnout.” Following therapy he is allowed to return to his studies and completes the course. After graduation he applies for a position with a small regional air- line, fully disclosing his previous problems. He completes the application and health examinations and is found to be fit for service and employed. He again begins to suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts and seeks professional outpatient care. Although as a pilot he is required by professional duty to self-report any health condition to his employer that would restrict his ability to perform his duties, he fails to do so. As a result, the unthinkable occurs, and he crashes his plane, killing himself, the crew, and all the passengers. The health care providers in this case knew that the young pilot was having difficulties that would preclude him from flying a plane and, therefore, had given him a note providing him a medical release from duty that day. However, given the level of professionalism of his duties, and the need for personal privacy and medical confidentiality, the established process called for self-reporting, which the pilot did not do.

a) Given the nature of his work and his condition, should the health care providers have reported his condition to his employers and not depended on him performing his professional duty of self-reporting?

b) Would you be willing to generalize your decision to other positions such as bus drivers and train engineer?

Answer 1

(a)Data in medical records is measured extremely private and subtle. Medical beliefs rules, state rules, and the federal rule documented as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), usually need doctors and their team to keep patients' medical records trusted, except the patient permits the doctor's workplace to reveal them. Though, there are a diversity of conditions under which a medic may segment the info in medical records and individual medical data deprived of the direct consent of the patient.

In the case mentioned here, the doctor can provide the details to the employer as per HIPAA policy. If the patient has agonized some traumatic wound and cannot brand medical choices for him or herself, the medic may deliberate the patient's medicinal info with that patient's next of kin. The family associate will frequently need this info so that she can make a knowledgeable choice about the next steps in medicinal management.

If the patient has a living will / healthcare control of attorney, the medic may only converse the patient's complaint with the people titled in those papers. For the case discussed here the doctor has already given the patient a day off related note. The doctor can try convincing the patient to share the details to the employer regarding the safety of his life and people he works with. For example: Medics must also account supposed cases of child abuse, even however the child or her parent did not specifically approve the disclosure. Likewise, if a doctor contemplates her patient's psychological state will reason him to be a hazard to himself or others, she might account this in direction to avert harm to innocent parties.

(b)There is no point in generalizing even if the case is in different professions. As already mentioned, if a medic reasons her patient's mental state will reason him to be a hazard to himself or others, she may report this in instruction to stop injury to innocent parties.