Hello. I have anorexia. I went to my university Health Center. The doctor saw me, and told me to come back the next week. I did. He told me he was going to call my parents, due to my severey low weight. I am not a minor. He also told me he could force me into inpatient treatment.

Is this not a violation of patient rights?

Thank you.

Some doctors can force you into inpatient treatment if they feel your health is in imminent danger. When I was being treated for anorexia, I had to first sign papers with all members of my treatment team that if my weight dropped below a certain number, they had the right to hospitalize me. You may have signed papers like this during your first meetings.

I think psychiatrists do have the right to force hospitalization on patients if they feel the patient is a threat to themselves or others--i.e., if they feel the patient is going to leave treatment and attempt suicide at any time or try to harm someone else. It may be a similar circumstance for doctors treating ED patients. But I'm betting you may have had to sign a release on your first appointment agreeing to this.

If your weight is that low, hon, inpatient is the best bet for you even if you don't like to hear it right now. It is too risky for the doctors to treat you outpatient if your weight is severely low. After all, they don't want you to end up dying while in treatment and if your weight is so low, you stand a good chance of having a heart attack due to severe electrolyte imbalances.

If there was a change between the two visits that could put the Dr at concern (for your health), I could see the second point you brought up.

As for contacting relatives, only unless you gave a waver and/or listed persons to contact "in case of emergency" can they do that. As for how that term is defined or taken by the clinic/hospitals I can't tell you. They (the clinic) may "want" to tell a husband/wife/children why the person is being held even though it is not an emergency (emergency room situation) per se so they (relatives) don't worry.

I look at the situation as if my family members were to be hospitalized, would I want to be contacted to know about it or be kept in the dark?? Think if I have to feed pets, or maintain items at the property for them. Possibly fly out of state!

--Travis

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Hey there.

You mentioned that this was your University Health Center. Is the doctor employed by the university? If so, he may have to follow university procedures. Are you at risk for being withdrawn from the university on medical leave?

The same situation happened to me. I was seeing the counselor and nurse at my University Health Center when they decided that I needed to withdraw from the semester and go into inpatient. They had to call my parents too. It was not a breech of confidentiality because they were following university procedures.

Could that be the case with you?

Good luck and take care!