HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Recupero, P. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Recupero, P. R.

E-mail and the Psychiatrist-Patient Relationship

Dr. Recupero is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Brown University, and President/Chief Executive Officer, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI. Address correspondence to: Patricia R. Recupero, JD, MD, Butler Hospital, 345 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence, RI 02906. E-mail: patricia_recupero{at}brown.edu

E-mail correspondence between psychiatrists and patients raises numerous legal concerns with respect to the ethics of the doctor-patient relationship. Case law has shown that a doctor-patient relationship may be established in the absence of face-to-face contact. Despite this, a surprisingly high number of physicians respond to unsolicited e-mails, some even going so far as to suggest diagnoses or to offer advice. Courts may decide that a doctor-patient relationship exists where a psychiatrist has corresponded with a patient by e-mail. Psychiatrists may be faced with difficult ethics-related decisions regarding unsolicited e-mails from members of the public as well as e-mail from current patients and third parties, such as family members of patients. This article addresses relevant law and ethics guidelines and seeks to assist psychiatrists in making sound, ethical decisions about the professional use of e-mail.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. R. Recupero Law & Psychiatry: Legal Concerns for Psychiatrists Who Maintain Web Sites Psychiatr Serv, April 1, 2006; 57(4): 450 - 452. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]