Changes

The '''patient-physician privilege''' protects confidentiality of communications by a patient to a physician under certain circumstances, in certain courts.  Its origin can be traced back nearly 2500 years to the [[Oath of Hippocrates:

The '''patient-physician privilege''' protects confidentiality of communications by a patient to a physician under certain circumstances, in certain courts.  Its origin can be traced back nearly 2500 years to the [[Oath of Hippocrates:

{{cquote|All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession [as a physician] … which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and never reveal.}}

{{cquote|All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession [as a physician] … which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and never reveal.}}

As of August 15, 2015, 453 reported state and federal court decisions referred to the "patient-physician privilege."

As of August 15, 2015, 5,659 reported state and federal court decisions referred to this privilege.

Federal courts, however, do not recognize a general patient-physician privilege.  Some limited protection in federal court for communications by a patient to a psychiatrist may be protected.  Federal Rules of Evidence simply protect privileges that are recognized by the "common law — as interpreted by United States courts in the light of reason and experience ...unless any of the following provides otherwise:<ref>https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/rule_501</ref>

Federal courts, however, do not recognize a general patient-physician privilege.  Some limited protection in federal court for communications by a patient to a psychiatrist may be protected.  Federal Rules of Evidence simply protect privileges that are recognized by the "common law — as interpreted by United States courts in the light of reason and experience ...unless any of the following provides otherwise:<ref>https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/rule_501</ref>