Selective Disclosure of Patient Health Information to Relatives While Maintaining Complete Medical Documentation: A Legal and Ethical Perspective
DOI: 10.22591/magyurol.2026.2.beothet.87
Authors:
Beöthe Tamás Zsolt dr.
Budapesti Péterfy Sándor utcai Kórház-Rendelőintézet, Urológiai Osztály, Budapest
Summary
Introduction: The completeness of medical documentation and appropriate patient information are fundamental legal and professional requirements. However, in clinical practice,
there is an increasing demand from patients to keep certain aspects of their care undisclosed to their relatives.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze whether partial documentation is legally and ethically acceptable, and whether partial patient information can be provided while maintaining the completeness of medical documentation.
Legal framework and analysis: The issue was examined through the interpretation of current Hungarian legislation (particularly the Act on Health Care and the Act on the Management of Health Data) as well as the European Union’s data protection regulation, supported by clinical examples
Results: It can be established that medical documentation must be complete in all cases and cannot be modified at the patient’s request. At the same time, access to the documentation is under the patient’s control. Based on written authorization, physicians may provide partial information to designated individuals, provided that the content of such disclosure is recorded in the medical documentation.
Conclusions: The tension between the completeness of documentation and patient autonomy can be resolved if full documentation is maintained and disclosure is carried out according to the patient’s instructions. Current health information systems provide only limited support for this practice.