Question

You work for a private health care facility with one physician owner. A patient is suing the physician for injuries that occured after receiving a commonly prescribed vaccination for the prevention of influenza. The patient claims that the physician did not provide information about possible side effects and adverse events, and if that information had been provided, they would have opted to not receive the vaccination.

The physician and his attorney would like you to provide a statement defending the physician. While you do not have first-hand information about the interaction between the physician and this particular patient, you do know that the physician doesn't always take the time to explain things to patients and is known for being pro-vaccine to the point of pressuring patients.

You have worked for this physician for over 10 years, make a very comfortable salary, have health care benefits paid fully by the physician, 4 weeks paid vacation, 10 paid illness days, and a 401k that the physician contributes to at 50%.

How would handle this situation, knowing that if you do not defend the physician in this case, you could potentially lose your position with the facility?

Answer 1

This is an act of Medical negligence by the physician who may or may not have informed the patient regarding the possible adverse reactions of an vaccination. Being in the healthcare professionals it is the matter of human lives where humanity and honesty shoujd be given priority. Here giving a statement that is defending to the physician is something taking part in his malpractice and can be liable in future without knowing the truth of what was conversed in the first visit between the physician and patient.Hence to gain a monetary benefits from the physician personally, lives of others cannot be trapped.Going with the truthful statement even when there is potentiality for loss of position with the facility can save one from legal issues in the future and can give a moral self satisfaction of doing the right job.