People Information Doctor Patient Confidentiality Share Eslpod Shared Private

Doctors have access to a lot of "privileged information" (information shared with only certain people in a private, professional context, and protected by law) when they speak with their patients about their health history, medical conditions, and lifestyle. Often the only reason why patients are willing to share that information is because they believe their doctor will "honor" (comply with; follow) doctor-patient confidentiality and not share their privileged information without the patient's "written" (in writing; not spoken) "consent" (agreement).

People also refer to "attorney-client privilege" which is the idea that conversations between "attorneys" (lawyers) and their "clients" (customers; people who receive legal services) are confidential and should not be shared with others. Attorney-client privilege is important, because people who have been "accused" (said to have done something bad) of breaking the law need the "full" (complete) guidance and advice of an attorney, but the attorney cannot give "adequate" (sufficient; enough) advice if he or she has only "partial" (some; incomplete) information.

"Priests" (religious leaders, especially in the Catholic Church) also receive private, confidential information from their "parishioners" (people who go to a certain church). This is especially true in the "context" (environment; situation) of "confessions," when people tell a priest about the "sins" (actions or thoughts that are wrong, against God's law) that they have "committed" (done; performed). It isn't clear whether confessions are privileged information. Many people argue that they should be, but many courts have "ruled" (made a legal decision) against it, arguing that priests have to share information they have received from confessions when asked to do so.