Physicians Treating Their Own Children

Dusdieker, Lois B.; Murph, Jody R.; Murph, William E.; Dungy, Claibourne I.

doi:10.1001/archpedi.1993.02160260036018

Cited by 21 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…9,14 Several surveys have documented the high occurrence of the phenomenon. 2,5,15 Our study confirms how common it is, as all participants shared multiple personal experiences related to managing requests from nonpatients.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

“…Yet physicians may also decide not to intervene in the care of relatives or friends, concerned by a lack of objectivity, fearing misdiagnosis, or recognizing an inability to provide complete and continuous care. 2,[4][5][6][7] In addition, most codes of ethics, such as the Good Medical Practice code of the General Medical Counsel, 1 state that physicians should not treat family members. Opinions emanating from these codes specify that physicians may treat relatives and friends in case of minor ailments or in an emergency situation, when no other health care professional is available.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Family Physicians Managing Medical Requests From Family and Friends

et al. 2018

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PURPOSE Although guidelines generally state that physicians should not treat their family members or friends (nonpatients), physicians regularly receive medical requests from nonpatients. We aimed to explore junior and senior family physicians' experiences with and attitudes toward managing medical requests from nonpatients. METHODSWe conducted a qualitative study with 7 focus groups with junior and senior physicians. We performed a thematic analysis during an iterative cycle of data collection and analysis.RESULTS When confronted with a medical request from a nonpatient, physicians first oriented themselves to the situation: who is this person, what is he or she asking of me, and where are we? Physicians next considered the following interrelated factors: (1) nature/strength of the relationship with the nonpatient, (2) amount of trust in his/her own knowledge and skills, (3) expected consequences of making mistakes, (4) importance of work-life balance, and (5) risk of disturbing the physician-patient process. Senior physicians applied more nuanced considerations when deciding whether to respond, whereas junior physicians experienced more difficulties dealing with these requests, were less inclined to respond, and were more concerned about disturbing the existing relationship that a person had with his/her own physician.CONCLUSIONS This study provides insight into the complexity that physicians face when managing medical questions and requests from nonpatients. Facilitated group discussions during which experiences are shared can help junior physicians become more confident in dealing with these complex issues as they formulate their own personal strategy regarding provision of medical advice or treatment to family and friends. 2018;16:45-51. https://doi Ann Fam Med

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Family Physicians Managing Medical Requests From Family and Friends

et al. 2018

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“…In 1990, resident, fellow, and faculty doctors (n = 701) in an Iowa teaching hospital received a mailed survey which explored treatment practices toward their children (Dusdieker et al 1993). While nearly all 492 respondents (or 70%) noted a non-parent as the child's physician of record, 74% of doctors reported that they usually treated acute afebrile illnesses, and 36% rarely or never contacted the child's physician for advice during these ailments.…”

Section: Direct Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For those who do, it is proposed that they treat only minor, brief illnesses within their scope of practice, wait no longer than two days for the problem to resolve before sending the family member to an unrelated physician, give advice about when to seek someone else's care, recommend a doctor, and help family members ask appropriate questions about their health care (Reagan et al 1994). In cases where the relative is a physician's child, the unrelated treating physicians and the child's parents should have a discussion during which the treating clinicians emphasize their availability, willingness to see the ill child, and responsibility for laboratory tests, medications, follow-up visits, and school forms; physician-parents should be observant historians only and refrain from performing physical examinations (Dusdieker et al 1993). Consistent contact with the child's parents will assist treating doctors in maintaining complete documentation and providing timely care (Walter et al 2009).…”

Section: Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Physicians Intervene in Their Relatives’ Health Care

Scarff

Lippmann

2012

HEC Forum

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Physicians often struggle with ethical issues surrounding intervention in their relatives' health care. Many editorials, letters, and surveys have been written on this topic, but there is no systematic review of its prevalence. An Ovid Medline search was conducted for articles in English, written between January 1950 and December 2010, using the key words family member, relatives, treatment, prescribing, physician, and ethics. The search identified 41 articles (editorials, letters, and surveys). Surveys were reviewed to explore demographics of these treating physicians and reasons for and against intervention. Physicians often intervene directly or indirectly in the health care of relatives. The most common reasons were convenience, cost savings, and the perception of having greater knowledge or concern than colleagues. Lost objectivity, fear of misdiagnosis, and inability to provide complete care were the main considerations against intervention. The characteristics of treating doctors were nonspecific. Most surveys recommend against this practice except for emergencies or minor ailments. This review included only a few surveys with small sample size and only assessed scientific literature written in English after 1950. Survey data may be biased by physicians' self-reporting. In conclusion, most doctors occasionally intervene in their relatives' care. The decision to do so is determined by multiple factors. Physicians should treat only short-term or minor illnesses within their scope of practice. Future research should evaluate doctors' attitudes toward their relatives, medical student feelings about treating family, and intervention frequencies of medical and nonmedical professionals.

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“…A physician's decision to treat and prescribe medications is followed by his/ her worries about diagnosis, course of disease, fear of complication which may create a sense of insecurity and anxiety in the physician that may interfere with the delivery of best option for treatment and care. Despite such challenges many physicians are found treating their family members primarily because of convenience in treatment 6 . different age group live together.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nepalese context: Should physician treat themselves and their family members?

Dhakal

2015

J. Kathmandu Med. Coll.

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Physicians are individuals with families and friends and it is their duty as well as moral and social obligation to look after their friends and relatives when they become sick. But what should be their role in looking after one's own sick family members or friends? As far as it is not as a treating physician there should be no problem but if physicians are to take responsibility of treating their family members as a physician, a number of ethical issues arise. Medical advice and medical treatment of family members is a subject of debate. The current codes of ethics of in many countries advise physicians not to treat their family members except in emergency situations and for minor illnesses. What should Nepalese physicians do?

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Physicians Treating Their Own Children

Cited by 21 publications

References 4 publications

Family Physicians Managing Medical Requests From Family and Friends

Family Physicians Managing Medical Requests From Family and Friends

When Physicians Intervene in Their Relatives’ Health Care

Nepalese context: Should physician treat themselves and their family members?

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