Does physician-patient privilege protect the interests of the patient?

" 'The whole purpose of the [physician-patient] privilege is to preclude the humiliation of the patient that might follow disclosure of his ailments....' [Citation.] The privilege is statutory and 'encourage[s] the patient to be free in disclosing facts about his illness to enable the physician to treat the illness or maintain the patient's general health. [Citation.] "The rules of privilege are designed to protect personal relationships and other interests where public policy deems them more important than the need for evidence." [Citation.]' [Citation.]" (Palay v. Superior Court (1993) 18 Cal.App.4th 919, 927-928, 22 Cal.Rptr.2d 839.)

(1) In This Case, Privilege Would Not Protect the Interests of the Patients