Privacy Statement

Psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapy offer methods of treatment that attempt to reduce suffering and disability, and enhance personal growth and autonomy. The psychoanalytic relationship is predicated on respecting personal dignity and honoring the individual’s authority and human rights.

 

The treatment relationship between patient and clinician is founded upon trust and informed mutual agreement or consent. At the outset of treatment the patient will be made aware of the nature of psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic therapy, and relevant alternative therapies. Agreements pertaining to scheduling, fees, and other rules and obligations of treatment with adequate regard for the realistic and therapeutic aspects of the relationship will be made. Promises made should be honored while acknowledging that contexts may change considerably and impact the continued capacity to do so.

 

Confidentiality of the patient’s communications is a basic patient’s legal and human right and an essential condition for effective psychoanalytic treatment. I am required to take all measures necessary to not reveal present or former patient confidences without permission, nor discuss the particularities observed or inferred about patients outside consultative, educational or scientific contexts. If case material is used in exchanges with colleagues for consultative, educational or scientific purposes, the identity of the patient will be sufficiently disguised in accordance with applicable standards to prevent identification of the patient, or authorization is required to be obtained after frank discussion of the purpose(s) of a presentation, and the patient’s right to refuse or withdraw consent.

 

All information about the specifics of a patient’s life is confidential, including the name of the patient and the fact of treatment. I am required to refuse disclosing confidential information to the full extent required by law. Furthermore, it may be ethical, though not required, to refuse legal, civil or administrative demands for such confidential information even in the face of the patient’s informed consent and accept instead the legal consequences of such a refusal when such a refusal protects the patient and/or treatment from harm.

 

I am required to not share confidential information about a patient with nonclinical third-parties (e.g., insurance companies) without the patient’s informed consent. For the purpose of claims review or utilization management, it is not a violation of confidentiality for me to disclose confidential information to an insurance company peer reviewer, provided the reviewer is also bound by confidentiality standards and the informed consent of the patient has first been obtained.

 

If I use confidential case material in clinical presentations or in scientific or educational exchanges with colleagues, the case material must be disguised sufficiently to prevent identification of the patient. Sufficient disguise means only the patient might recognize themself. Sufficient disguise does not require the patient’s permission.