Doctor's secret

Hi everyone 😁 I could use some guidance here. Here’s the situation: I’m wondering if, for instance, my school were to call my doctor and ask whether or not I’ve actually been seen by them, is the doctor legally allowed to confirm that? Or would that be considered a violation of patient confidentiality? Thanks in advance 🙂

If we’re all supposed to have a right to privacy, then why on earth does a doctor's note for sick leave include a specific diagnostic code that any HR clerk could just Google and then gossip about across the entire office? I mean, look—it makes perfect sense for the note to list the expected duration of the illness, sure, but the actual diagnosis should be strictly confidential. If an employer has some serious doubts, they can always request an audit or a review, but even then, they should only receive a final verdict on whether the medical leave is legitimate or not—absolutely nothing regarding the specific diagnosis itself.

Thanks, ladybug. I assume the review process actually takes place at the doctor's office, right?

Lisa Perez37 said:If we actually have a right to privacy, why on earth does the sick leave paperwork include a disease code that any random clerk in accounting could just Google and then gossip about all over the office? It’s fine if they list how long I’m expected to be out, but the diagnosis should stay private. If an employer is suspicious, they can request an audit, sure—but even then, they should only get a "yes" or "no" on whether the leave is justified. They don't need my medical details.

It’s been over a year since those codes were even included on the forms.
And besides, an employer absolutely has the right to request an audit of the medical leave.