When a physician prescribes therapy to a friend or family member, which procedure is expected?

When a physician prescribes therapy to a friend or family member, which procedure is expected?

• A. Conduct a physical examination and maintain a proper medical record like any patient.
• B. Forgo the physical exam but preserve records in a different format.
• C. Seek authorization from a court before treatment.
• D. Allow the relative to dictate treatment without notes.

Answer: (B)

Treating a friend or family member creates a dual relationship that can bias clinical judgment and blur professional boundaries. The appropriate approach in this situation is to avoid the formal physical exam and handle the documentation in a separate format. This signals that the care is being provided under special circumstances, helping to preserve objectivity and accountability and reducing the risk of improper influence from the personal relationship. It also provides a clear, auditable trail that the encounter isn’t treated as routine care. This differs from performing a full standard exam and keeping normal medical records, which could reinforce the mistaken notion of treating a relative as any other patient. It also isn’t appropriate to seek court authorization before treatment or to let the relative dictate care without proper notes, as those paths undermine professional standards and patient safety.

Treating a friend or family member creates a dual relationship that can bias clinical judgment and blur professional boundaries. The appropriate approach in this situation is to avoid the formal physical exam and handle the documentation in a separate format. This signals that the care is being provided under special circumstances, helping to preserve objectivity and accountability and reducing the risk of improper influence from the personal relationship. It also provides a clear, auditable trail that the encounter isn’t treated as routine care.

This differs from performing a full standard exam and keeping normal medical records, which could reinforce the mistaken notion of treating a relative as any other patient. It also isn’t appropriate to seek court authorization before treatment or to let the relative dictate care without proper notes, as those paths undermine professional standards and patient safety.