A Physician's Drug use and the Duty to Disclose Provider Problems: Why Patients Should Not Be Treated Like Houses

摘要

A young couple goes to buy a first house. The real estate agent obviously has more experience with these transactions than the couple, so the couple relies heavily on the information they receive. The real estate agent also relies on the previous owner's statement that the house is in perfect condition. However, the owner actually knows there are some problems with the house, but chooses not to disclose this information to the agent or the couple. The couple buys the house and, after a heavy rainstorm, the roof leaks. The purchasers are burdened with repairs they did not anticipate.Most people will look at the hypothetical situation above and feel sympathy for the couple, while thinking that this is simply how the market works. We wonder, why did the couple not have an inspection performed? Did they even ask about the roof? What about the real estate agent? Why did the agent not ask for an inspection from the previous owner, or advise the young couple to get one themselves? Although we feel badly for the couple, for many people this situation does not stir up emotions about fair play and justice. In the end, we hope a lesson is learned and assume the couple and the agent will not make the same mistake twice.