An employee knows the girlfriend of a patient who has recently tested positive for HIV. Should the employee warn the girlfriend of the risk of exposure? Disclosure of the patient's HIV status without the patientıs consent would breach the patient's confidentiality. Whether notification should be made to a third person who may be at risk of exposure is generally the responsibility of the patient's physician. So the employee should not inform the girlfriend of the patient's diagnosis. This situation presents a serious compliance risk. In addition to violating the patient's confidentiality and exposing the hospital to civil liability, an unauthorized disclosure of confidential information would be grounds for termination of employment. Any employee who has a question about a situation like this should talk to his or her supervisor, contact the compliance hotline (1-888-5COMPLY) or call the Corporate Compliance Officer

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