You work in a urology practice, and a 51-year-old married male patient, Mr. Ratner, undergoes a vasectomy because he does not wish to have any more children. He confides to the doctor that he’s concerned his mistress may become pregnant. He has the procedure performed while his wife is out of town, and he requests that information about the vasectomy not be disclosed to her under any circumstances. Does Mrs. Ratner have the right to know that her husband has had a vasectomy? Does Mr. Ratner’s doctor or his staff have a right or an obligation to tell her? If Mrs. Ratner is also a patient in the practice, does that change your answer?