“Hey Doc!” I heard the patient say as I blazed by Bed A.

Bed A is the ‘door’ bed. Mypatient was in Bed B, the ‘window’ bed. I had just met him; it was a new inpatient consult. For all the rules and regulations surrounding patient confidentiality, the curtains between beds do little to protect privacy since inevitably there will be audible conversations about symptoms, diagnosis, and management between patients and the doctors, nurses, or family who visit them.

…

The residents had already seen the patient in Bed B and were reviewing his case in detail with me between OR cases. I looked at my watch, contemplated typical OR turnover time for a moment, and decided we had enough time toget the consult done.

When I got to Bed B,I introduced myself to the patient and sat at the edge of his bed. I explained that I had already…