- A physician treating a patient who is also a physician must report if the physician-patient suffers from any medical condition where it is reasonably clear that patients of the physician-patient or others involved in his/her medical practice, could be harmed physically or psychologically as a result of the medical condition.
- The treating physician must make reasonable efforts to determine the scope of the physician-patient’s practice and seek information with consent from the physician-patient about the impact of the medical condition on the practice.
- The physician-patient must be advised of their duty to self-report and must be supported in their reporting to the Medical Board.
- The treating physician must advise the physician-patient of their intent to report.
State Medical Boards
The medical board’s duty is to protect the public, not the physician. State medical boards today focus on licensed physicians who violate professional ethics, and their mandate has significantly evolved to focus on disciplining physicians.
