Practice Management Alert

Question: I am a physician who works in a small, private practice with just two other clinicians. While everyone is doing their level best to respect patient safety and health, one of my colleagues thinks wearing a mask is a violation of his rights. He is a good physician, and I don’t know what’s going on, but his choice to forego a mask in the community setting worries me. He talked about attending a dinner party with mutual friends last week and another attendee has since tested positive. My colleague has carried on as usual. Do I have any ethical responsibilities, as a fellow physician?

South Carolina Subscriber

Answer: The American Medical Association (AMA) encourages physicians to remember that their primary responsibility and obligation is to their patients. The AMA Code of Ethics notes that physicians who “become aware of or strongly suspect that conduct threatens patient welfare or otherwise appears to violate ethical or legal standard” should report the conduct to the appropriate clinical authorities, including the respective hospital, if the person in question has hospital privileges, or the state or local medical society if the person does not; the state licensing board; or “higher authorities” if the conduct persists beyond initial reporting.

Read the AMA Code of Medical Ethics Opinion for more information: www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/ethics/reporting-incompetent-or-unethical-behaviors-colleagues.