RE: Ethic dilemma

March 16, 2006

Ky has treatment without MD referral... the script is not required for free

treatment. I treat myself, wife, son, mother-in-law without orders and

don’t charge them... unlikely I would get paid. It's most difficult to

treat yourself due to the self blinders we wear.. and seeking a respected

co-workers advice just sounds normal. Every time I go to a continuing ed

course, people are asking advice from the expert.

You have a legit liability issue from injury but it's so common place. I

would think a waiver of company liability would be a good idea.

Steve Passmore

Healthy Recruiting Tools

Ethic dilemma

Hello Group,

I need some advice on what to do if anything on the following situation.

There are two PTs that work in this outpatient clinic; for the sake of

confidentiality I will refer to them as PT1 and PT2. PT1 started having

back problems and after sometime sought PT2's advice regarding her pain.

PT2 looked at PT1 and gave her input. This required several occasions

of PT2 assessing PT1 due to not sure what was the primary problem. This

gradually turned into PT1 receiving treatment by PT2 6 to 7 days a week.

This was occurring during work hours, after work hours during the week

and on the weekend when the department was closed. Treatment involved

US, mechanical traction, exercise and manual techniques. Once the

manager realized what was going on she called PT1 and PT 2 into the

office and told them this was to stop immediately. The only way this

was going to continue was if PT1 had a script from the MD who was

treating her back (treatment was epidural steroid injections) and PT1

registered as an outpatient and followed the procedure just like all the

other outpatients. Unsure if PT1 and PT2 followed order all can say is

that they were not caught again. Can say PT1 never followed up on

becoming a true outpatient. PT2 ended up leaving the facility for other

reasons. PT1 continues to be followed by MD and it has come out that

PT2 is continuing to treat PT1 at PT1's home. What do you all think of

this??? What if anything as a PT should I do??

Thanks,

Lynda

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Gateway Rehabilitation Hospital Florence

5940 Merchants Street

Florence, KY 41042

March 16, 2006

I don't believe there is anything inherently unethical about what you have

described. However, as an employer I would have a problem with using paid time

to provide free treatment to a co-worker. If your model is that of a self

employed partner who is using their own productive time to provide unreimbursed

care, I see no problem. However, if this is an employee who is paid to provide

PT for your organization, I would support putting a stop to unpaid and

unproductive time.

Redge L MS OTR/L

Director of Rehabilitation Services

on Medical Center

Bremerton, WA 98310

Administrative Assistant:

Wanda Kotte: wandakotte@...

on Medical Center

We make a positive difference in people's lives through exceptional medical care

>>> lwick@... 3/16/2006 9:41 AM >>>