Legal Advisor: Defining What to Include in a Patient Chart
Treating Minors Without Parental Consent

Scenario 1

A physician treating an unemancipated minor suspects that the child is the victim of abuse or neglect by a parent or legal guardian. As required by law, the physician reports the matter to the Department of Social Services. The parent/guardian later obtains the treatment records and learns that the physician filed the report. Seeking to "retaliate" against this perceived slight, the parent/guardian complains to the physician's employer that the care and treatment were inadequate.

Next: Scenario 2