Describe the doctrine of professional discretion as used by physicians and other health care providers.

What will be an ideal response?

Under the doctrine of professional discretion, courts have held that in some cases, patients treated for mental or emotional conditions may be harmed by seeing their own records. It is up to the discretion of the physician whether or not to allow all patients access to their medical records. On signing a release, patients may usually obtain access to or copies of their medical records.