Question

John, a 34 year old father of two children, is a member of a health maintenance organization (HMO) in Texas. John has made several trips to an area clinic recommended by his HMO to seek medical attention since finding blood in his bowel movement. He has been taking large amount of aspirin for persistent headaches but did not realize that this could cause internal bleeding. John was always seen at the clinic by a physician assistant, Robert M., but never by a physician. Robert didn't ask John about taking any nonprescription medicines. John didn't realize that he should mention his over the counter medication (aspirin) consumption. Robert tells John to take an antacid preparation to control the bleeding, but dose not order any tests. He tells John to return if he is not any better. Two days later, John is rushed to the area emergency room with bowel hemorrhage. 1. What responsibilities, if any, dose Robert have for John's emergency condition? 2. Dose the clinic have a responsibility to provide its HMO members with the service of a physician? 3. What responsibilities, as a healthcare consumer, dose John have for his own medical condition?

Answer 1

1. Everyone had their own responsibility. Robert had the responsibility as a physician assistant to take history properly including about any medications patient taking without prescription. If Robert has taken the history properly then the patient does not had the need to come to the emergency.

2. Yes ,the clinic has the responsibility to provide it's HMO members with the services of physician. Being a part of HMO if he can't get the services of a physician then what will be the condition of general public . Its the responsibility of clinic to look after whether the physician is present or not and what treatment is prescribed by the physician assistant.

3. As a health care consumer it was the responsibility of John to tell the doctor that he was taking aspirin for his persistent headaches and that too without prescription . Due to the intake of aspirin without prescription and haven't told the doctor about this medication, the patient went into a critical condition that he has to reach the emergency because of haemmorhhage in bowel movement. If he had told about the intake of medication to the doctor earlier itself then this might not have occurred.