Withdrawl of Services

What is the acceptable procedure for withdrawing services from a patient in my practice?

Withholding Treatment for Nonpayment

Is it legally acceptable to withhold treatment from a patient because of his/her unpaid bill?

Informed Consent

How much detail regarding a treatment's risks should be included in an informed consent form?

Treatment of Minors

What types of medical services can be provided to a minor without parental consent, for example, birth control or testing for STDs?

Releasing Patient Records

What type of patient consent is legally required before releasing records containing HIV, mental health or drug/alcohol treatment information?

Record Retention

What types of patient records must I retain, and for how long?

Record Access

Under what circumstances am I legally obligated to give patients access to their office records?

Follow-up Responsibility

What are my obligations to a patient who has been referred to me from the emergency department for follow-up?

Delegating to Non-physicians

Am I liable for the actions of staff employed in my practice? If so, how?

Unlicensed Staff Administering Injections

Under what circumstances is it legally acceptable for a medical assistant to give injections?

Physician-Patient Relationship

Does a legally recognizable physician-patient relationship exist between a patient, who has been assigned to me by a managed care organization, and me, if I have never seen or communicated with this patient? What type of documentation, if any, must I maintain on such patients?