Vermont § 1612 - Patient’s privilege

§ 1612. Patient’s privilege

• (a) Confidential information privileged. Unless the patient waives the privilege or unless the privilege is waived by an express
  provision of law, a person authorized to practice medicine, chiropractic, or dentistry,
  a registered professional or licensed practical nurse, or a mental health professional
  as defined in 18 V.S.A. § 7101(13) shall not be allowed to disclose any information acquired in attending a patient
  in a professional capacity, including joint or group counseling sessions, and which
  was necessary to enable the provider to act in that capacity. (b) Identification by dentist; crime committed against patient under 16. A dentist shall be required to disclose information necessary for identification of
  a patient. A physician, dentist, chiropractor, or nurse shall be required to disclose
  information indicating that a patient who is under the age of 16 years has been the
  victim of a crime. (c) Mental or physical condition of deceased patient. (1) A physician, chiropractor, or nurse shall be required to disclose any information
  as to the mental or physical condition of a deceased patient privileged under subsection
  (a) of this section, except information which would tend to disgrace the memory of
  the decedent, either in the absence of an objection by a party to the litigation or
  when the privilege has been waived: (A) by the personal representative, or the surviving spouse, or the next of kin of the
  decedent; or (B) in any litigation where the interests of the personal representative are deemed by
  the trial judge to be adverse to those of the estate of the decedent, by any party
  in interest; or (C) if the validity of the will of the decedent is in question, by the executor named
  in the will, or the surviving spouse or any heir-at-law or any of the next of kin
  or any other party in interest. (2) A physician, dentist, chiropractor, mental health professional, or nurse shall be
  required to disclose any information as to the mental or physical condition of a deceased
  patient privileged under subsection (a) of this section upon request to the Chief
  Medical Examiner. (Added 1973, No. 190 (Adj. Sess.), eff. July 1, 1974; amended 1981, No. 221 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1991, No. 236 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 1993, No. 222 (Adj. Sess.), § 23; 2009, No. 55, § 12.)