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I'm sure we have all had the awkward patient or two who refuses to give information but, how do we stand legally.

The patient i refer to, refuses to give her date of birth, does not have a Dr as she says they are all "f#@#$$ Ar@#holes. Says doesn't take any medication and has no health problems.

Goes off her rocker when the podiatrist says her 'Sensory vibration perception is STILL good'

Would the legal buffs argue we shouldn't treat or accept just documenting the conversation is suffice

Thanks

Bex

 

Just make it clear in the Hx that she is refusing to supply details and get her to countersign it. You are then not refusing to treat but simply making it clear that you have attempted to obtain the necessary background but the patient is 'difficult'. (I would then charge her an additional fee for your trouble!)

Cheers

Bill

 

I just refuse to treat and go get a coffee , if they do not want to have details such as address, DOB then what other information are they not telling you

plus alot of these types tend to be nut jobs and therefore makes your life easier by saying have a nice day I am off for a Coffee

 

I`ve had a couple of ladies refuse to provide their DOB. I refuse to treat them.

It`s my understanding that if we assess, treat or even recommend a course of tx without first taking a full medical hx, we are in breach of our professions codes of practice. In the unfortunate incidence of reaction due to contraindication of meds/underlying condition, then litigation followed swiftly by fans and messy stuff will abound.

 

Thanks folks, she actually really upset one of my pods, i won't stand for it , i''ve documented it, im going for a coffee and she can go elsewhere :)

 

What if, rather than actively refusing to give information the patient feeds you misinformation? I would imagine that this occurs far more frequently than active refusal?

What happens then?

After taking patient details, history, etc does the patient get to read it through, sign it and keep a copy?

Bill

 

Remember also that if they are not happy with other drs, or have been around a bit and nobody else is good enough for them, chances are high that whatever treatment you do, no matter how well you do it, it will not be good enough for them either and they will be full of complaints.

In those kind of cases I would think very hard about if I want to joint their complaint lists.
hill

 

I get all patients to sign after they have written down their details. How that would stand legally if any lawsuit entailed who knows.. we don't have legally written consent forms :)

Yep - you know when they say i've been to a hundred podiatrists that you've got problems:deadhorse:

 

On the same token, we may think our patients tell us everything but sometimes they hide info from us.

I remember treating a patient with regional complex pain syndrome from an injury. I would spend a bit of time talking to her after I mobilized her and gave a PT block. She was improving but then went backwards. I sensed something else was going on and I closed the door and asked her to tell me what she has been hiding. She broke down crying and told me her husband abuses her and every time she looks like she is making progress, he abuses her. He was fearful that if she recovered she would leave him for another man. She told me she was afraid to leave due to her kids and lack of finances as she was unable to return to work. I had her make an appointment with social services to assist her.

I try to always remember that there is a fellow human being in my chair and not just a foot.

Steven

 

Life is too short to be miserable with aggravating patients. Send them on to aggravate someone else.

 

I extend that from patients to friends, wives, pets, children, relatives.

It's a good life but a lonely one.

Bill