Timeline for Are medical doctors legally doctors wherever they are?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
10 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25, 2023 at 16:04 | comment | added | FreeMan | Sadly, the "Good Samaritan" laws have had to be passed in many US states because families were suing MDs for malpractice when they tried to help but the victim was simply too far gone for anyone to have been able to help. | |
| Mar 20, 2014 at 7:13 | comment | added | Tor-Einar Jarnbjo | @Michael: It is a large difference between handling with "gross negligence" and that "something goes wrong". | |
| Mar 20, 2014 at 2:01 | comment | added | Chris | @Tor-EinarJarnbjo It's actually not a problem in the USA, despite what a pessimist may believe about our legal system. While it varies by state, the majority of jurisdictions have a "Good Samaritan" law, which states that if you can prove that your intent was only to provide assistance, you are immune to civil and criminal penalties arising from any damages. In other words, if you do CPR but end up breaking his rib, you're safe because you clearly intended to provide assistance. | |
| Mar 19, 2014 at 23:14 | comment | added | Michael Borgwardt | @Tor-Einar Jarnbjo: perhaps not to the same degree, but in many (if not most) jurisdictions, people are held liable for damages incurred by gross negligence, and the standard for what constitutes gross negligence when providing first aid are different for doctors than for laypersons. | |
| Mar 19, 2014 at 21:36 | comment | added | Tor-Einar Jarnbjo | @DJClayworth: Is that a problem in any other country on the earth except for the USA? | |
| Mar 19, 2014 at 21:19 | vote | accept | CommunityBot | moved from User.Id=141 by developer User.Id=55 | |
| Mar 19, 2014 at 18:10 | comment | added | DJClayworth | It's not about doctors being forbidden to provide assistance. It's that if they do, and something goes wrong, they may be sued for large amounts of money. It's also possible that their insurance wouldn't cover them, meaning that they would be personally out millions of dollars for trying to help. | |
| Mar 19, 2014 at 15:17 | comment | added | choster | Also, "medical doctor" encompasses a wide range of skills and professions. Someone who has been an ocular oncologist or pediatric psychiatrist or arthroplastic surgeon for 20 years may be no better than a layman dealing with acute appendicitis or a severe allergic reaction in flight. According to my doctor friends in the U.S., if they identify themselves as doctors, they must stay with the patient and render all possible aid. If they do not believe they can provide meaningful assistance, however, they need not identify themselves. | |
| Mar 19, 2014 at 11:43 | comment | added | Rook | +1 for that last one, however idealistic it seems (or is) nowadays. | |
| Mar 19, 2014 at 11:42 | history | answered | Tor-Einar Jarnbjo | CC BY-SA 3.0 |