Confidentiality

To the Editor: The professions make such a fuss about confidentiality and privileged information that the naive layperson invariably believes that lawyers, doctors, and members of the clergy would rather face any horror than breach the confidence of their clients. Theoretically, I do not doubt that this is often the case, but practically, medical confidentiality is not important.I sit in a shared waiting room and the booming, clear voice of the telephoning receptionist informs me that she requires some demographic and personal information of A; question after question is clearly presented. Next, I learn that B is pregnant and . . .