There’s no real direction on the issue, so physicians often err on the side of secrecy:
“Doctors are very confused,” said Dr. Tom Delbanco, an internist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center who recently made a film, “When Things Go Wrong, Voices of Patients and Families. “Some [people] tell them to open their hearts and spill the beans. Others tell them to keep their mouths shut. It depends on the lawyer.”
