Confidentiality reminder

In the last few months some of our staff have dealt with tricky situations related to confidentiality. Maintenance of confidentiality is vital to our organization. It is important to note that there are a few exceptions to the general principle of confidentiality. One of those exceptions involves cases of medical emergencies. Necessary and relevant information may be released to medical personnel if it is needed in a medical emergency. For example, medical personnel may request a client's medical history, drug of choice, current medications, and/or medication log. Also, the first responder to a medical 911 call may be a police officer. If this is the case, give the officer immediate access to the client and provide the officer with any information that he or she needs to provide care to the client.