Management of medical confidentiality in English professional football clubs: some ethical problems and issues

摘要: Objective: To examine the ways in which confidential matters are dealt with context of relationship between club doctor (or physiotherapist) and player as patient English professional football clubs. Methods: Semistructured tape recorded interviews 12 doctors, 10 physiotherapists, 27 current former players. A questionnaire was also sent to 90 doctors; 58 were returned. Results: There is among doctors physiotherapists no commonly held code ethics governing how much what kind information about players may properly be passed on managers; associated this, there considerable variation from one another terms amount managers. In some clubs, medical staff attempt operate more or less basis rules confidentiality that apply general practice, but other ready pass personal situations, this raises serious ethical questions. Conclusions: Guidelines dealing practitioner-patient relationships practice have long been available recently restated, specifically relation sports medicine, by British Olympic Association, Medical Football Association. This a welcome first step. However, if guidelines an impact detailed consideration needs given ensuring their effective implementation; achieved, identifying those aspects culture organisation clubs hinder full implementation guidelines.