ABSTRACT
Clinicians providing consultation through mental health telephone consultation programs express concern about the potential legal risk of the practice. In this survey of six state mental health telephone consultation program directors, we report the annual number of children referred for consultation and the number of lawsuits against consultant clinicians. Between 2004 and 2010, 3,652 children per year were referred nationally, and there were no medical malpractice lawsuits against clinicians related to telephone consultation program activity. Although medico-legal risk is always present, the findings of this national study suggest the risk for clinicians providing mental health telephone consultation may be lower than perceived.
Subject(s)
Child Psychiatry , Community Mental Health Services , Liability, Legal , Malpractice , Primary Health Care , Referral and Consultation , Telephone , Humans , Pediatrics , Telemedicine , United StatesABSTRACT
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and is defined as intentional self-harm with the intent of causing death. Various mental disorders may be a cause for increased violence. This article outlines the elements of the risk assessment (for harm to self and/or others) in patients in crisis and addresses which contributing factors may be modifiable. This article also proposes a practical framework for the management of risk regarding suicide and violence.
Subject(s)
Crisis Intervention/organization & administration , Mental Disorders/psychology , Suicide/psychology , Violence/psychology , Humans , Mental Disorders/complications , Mental Disorders/diagnosis , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , Violence/prevention & control , Suicide PreventionABSTRACT
Medical practice occurs within a legal and regulatory context. This article covers several of the legal issues that frequently arise in the general medical setting. While this article provides an overview of approaches to informed consent, boundary issues, and malpractice claims, it is critical for clinicians to be familiar with the specific requirements and standards in the jurisdictions in which they practice. As a general rule, it is most important that physicians recognize that the best way to avoid legal problems is to be aware of legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which they practice, but to think clinically and not legally in the provision of consistent and sound clinical care to their patients.