"Can I Get Your Thoughts On This?” – A Look at Informal “Curbside” Consultations and Their Potential Medical and Legal Implications

2015 Healthcare Summit

5.7.15

Informal consultations between healthcare providers can simultaneously advance global patient care and bring potentially unanticipated legal duties resulting in unexpected claims. Whether an informal consultation gives rise to a physician-patient relationship, and consequently a legal duty, is a challenging and case specific analysis.  This analysis is further complicated and heightened by the ease of technological advances in communications and portability of diagnostic studies.  This panel focuses on best practices providers can follow when providing informal opinions to colleagues that aid patient care and how to minimize the risk of unwarranted legal claims.