Which of the following statements describes the doctrine of professional discretion?

The doctrine of professional discretion acknowledges that healthcare providers have the responsibility to exercise judgment when determining what information to disclose from a patient's medical records. This means that when a patient requests access to their records, the provider may withhold certain information that could be harmful to the patient or that does not meet the documentation standards required for release.

For instance, if releasing a specific piece of information could cause significant distress to a patient or reveal sensitive information that is not relevant to the patient's treatment, a provider can lawfully decide to exclude that information from the disclosure. Thus, while patients have the right to access their medical records, the provider retains the authority to evaluate the appropriateness of what is shared, illustrating the principle of professional discretion.