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Views on mandatory reporting of impaired health practitioners by their treating practitioners: a qualitative study from Australia.
- Source :
- BMJ Open; 12/19/2016, Vol. 6, p1-11, 11p
- Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Objective: To explore the views and experiences of health sector professionals in Australia regarding a new national law requiring treating practitioners to report impaired health practitioners whose impairments came to their attention in the course of providing treatment. Method: We conducted a thematic analysis of indepth, semistructured interviews with 18 health practitioners and 4 medicolegal advisors from Australia's 6 states, each of whom had experience with applying the new mandatory reporting law in practice. Results: Interviewees perceived the introduction of a mandatory reporting law as a response to failures of the profession to adequately protect the public from impaired practitioners. Mandatory reporting of impaired practitioners was reported to have several benefits: it provides treating practitioners with a 'lever' to influence behaviour, offers protections to those who make reports and underscores the duty to protect the public from harm. However, many viewed it as a blunt instrument that did not sufficiently take account of the realities of clinical practice. In deciding whether or not to make a report, interviewees reported exercising clinical discretion, and being influenced by three competing considerations: protection of the public, confidentiality of patient information and loyalty to their profession. Conclusions: Competing ethical considerations limit the willingness of Australian health practitioners to report impaired practitioner-patients under a mandatory reporting law. Improved understanding and implementation of the law may bolster the public protection offered by mandatory reports, reduce the need to breach practitioner-patient confidentiality and help align the law with the loyalty that practitioners feel to support, rather than punish, their impaired colleagues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20446055
- Volume :
- 6
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- BMJ Open
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 120372230
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011988