ABSTRACT
As the private sector rehabilitation industry matures, certain ethical and malpractice issues have emerged. This article provides an overview of ethical issues in private for-profit practice, with particular focus on expert testimony, using examples from a sample of claims filed with the National Association of Rehabilitation Professionals in the Private Sector (NARPS), malpractice insurance companies, selected court cases, and complaints submitted to NARPPS Standards Compliance Review Board Committee and the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. It is evident that complaints have a direct relationship to at least half of the ethical canons of the Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors because they most frequently involve issues related to competence, the client-counselor relationship, professional relationships, confidentiality, and use of the certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) designation.
Subject(s)
Counseling/ethics , Counseling/legislation & jurisprudence , Ethics, Professional , Expert Testimony , Rehabilitation/ethics , Rehabilitation/legislation & jurisprudence , Confidentiality , Interprofessional Relations , Malpractice , Professional Competence , Professional-Patient Relations/ethicsABSTRACT
Clients who have experienced a brain injury often are damaged by a third party who is perceived responsible for the consequences of their actions. In the United States, a common method of seeking financial compensation for the injury is to file a personal injury law suit. This article will outline the RAPEL method for identifying instrumental details for settling the personal injury claim or educating a jury if a trial is necessary. Topics include identification of future medical care and related needs as well as assessing the effects of the injury on the ability to work.
ABSTRACT
Life care plans, standardized catastrophic plan-of-care formats, have been successfully used for case management purposes for more than 10 years. Standardizing the format and procedures provides an easy-to-understand road map of care to professionals, family, and insurance companies. This article reviews the history of this plan-of-care format and offers a checklist to be covered by the catastrophic care provider.
