Analysis and recommendations regarding surgeons' liabilities during an acute health crisis.
Leg Med (Tokyo)
; 51: 101880, 2021 Jul.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1171980
ABSTRACT
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted discrepancies between surgeons' professional duties and legal protections when acting outside their specialities during the pandemic. These discrepancies between legal and professional standards leave surgeons and the NHS vulnerable to litigation. In the following article, we explore the liabilities that have arisen for surgeons during this period in the United Kingdom and Canada. We recommend, upon review of the literature, that a two-pronged approach be taken to address these discrepancies; (a) a change in policy at the national level to accurately reflect the constraints and demands placed upon the profession in this acute health crisis and (b) the provision of clearer, more stringent legal protection. In the interim, we suggest that individual surgeons utilise a decision-making framework where they consider their personal and professional obligations in regard to resource stewardship, innovation in practice, patient-specific contexts, and patient advocacy while acting outside of their speciality.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Societies, Medical
/
Liability, Legal
/
Government Regulation
/
Surgeons
/
COVID-19
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
/
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Leg Med (Tokyo)
Journal subject:
Jurisprudence
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.legalmed.2021.101880
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