Law Enforcement and Emergency Medicine: An Ethical Analysis. Ann Emerg Med 2016 Nov;68(5):599-607
Date
10/25/2016Pubmed ID
27157455DOI
10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.02.013Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84964843067 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 26 CitationsAbstract
Emergency physicians frequently interact with law enforcement officers and patients in their custody. As always, the emergency physician's primary professional responsibility is to promote patient welfare, and his or her first duty is to the patient. Emergency physicians should treat criminals, suspects, and prisoners with the same respect and attention they afford other patients while ensuring the safety of staff, visitors, and other patients. Respect for patient privacy and protection of confidentiality are of paramount importance to the patient-physician relationship. Simultaneously, emergency physicians should attempt to accommodate law enforcement personnel in a professional manner, enlisting their aid when necessary. Often this relates to the emergency physician's socially imposed duties, governed by state laws, to report infectious diseases, suspicion of abuse or neglect, and threats of harm. It is the emergency physician's duty to maintain patient confidentiality while complying with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations and state law.
Author List
Baker EF, Moskop JC, Geiderman JM, Iserson KV, Marco CA, Derse AR, ACEP Ethics CommitteeAuthor
Arthur R. Derse JD, MD Director, Professor in the Institute for Health and Humanity department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
ConfidentialityCriminals
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Service, Hospital
Humans
Law Enforcement
Mandatory Reporting
Physician-Patient Relations
Prisoners
Safety
