Doctor-Patient Confidentiality and Minors

[NightHawksr71]

I really had no idea where to put this. anyway here goes,

I was just wondering If have a legal right to Confidentiality and to what extent when talking to my doctor about something I don't want my parents to know.
Just for informative reasons, I'm in Australia so Australian laws are all I'm after and I am 16. Thanks in advance.

[Rutherford The Brave]

Yes, all patients regardless of age have confidentiality. But that means it's your obligation to tell your loved ones what happened or what is happening.

[byee]

I'm a Yank, so I'm not sure what the laws are in Oz. However, for the medical profession to work, there needs to be trust that whatever is told to an MD is kept private. Afterall, how can they treat something if they aren't told about it? So, it's in everyone's interest to respect privacy.

Laws might be different Down Under, so you might want to ask your doctor what the limits of confidentiality are before sharing. However, if you might have, or ae concerned about having, some medical problem, issue, or question, you should still seek the advice of an MD. Very often, the consequence of not doing so is far worse than whateve might happen if your parents are told.

[NightHawksr71]

I'm a Yank, so I'm not sure what the laws are in Oz. However, for the medical profession to work, there needs to be trust that whatever is told to an MD is kept private. Afterall, how can they treat something if they aren't told about it? So, it's in everyone's interest to respect privacy.

Laws might be different Down Under, so you might want to ask your doctor what the limits of confidentiality are before sharing. However, if you might have, or ae concerned about having, some medical problem, issue, or question, you should still seek the advice of an MD. Very often, the consequence of not doing so is far worse than whateve might happen if your parents are told.

Thanks, I guess I will just ask, nothing serious is going on atm, but I just want to know that if it gets worse or whatever then I can talk to a doctor, and if its nothing then he can't tell my parents anything and if its something I am the one to tell them or not whichever I decide.

[Avalikia]

Generally speaking there are times when a doctor is required to tell your parents whether you like it or not, but usually only in extreme cases. For example, if you tell a doctor you're seriously considering suicide the laws in most places require them to tell your parents for your own safety. But usually things are kept confidential, especially if you just want to ask questions.

[NightHawksr71]

Generally speaking there are times when a doctor is required to tell your parents whether you like it or not, but usually only in extreme cases. For example, if you tell a doctor you're seriously considering suicide the laws in most places require them to tell your parents for your own safety. But usually things are kept confidential, especially if you just want to ask questions.

Ahh, thanks, certainly makes sense. thanks