Ahmad,
In reply to:
> >how many of us actually make it a habit-that
> > is for male GPs-to haave a chaperone each time we do a PR or VE on
> > our female patients?
On 11 Jul 96 at 23:59, Ahmad Risk wrote:
> Rules of the House:
<snip>
> 2. Hang a big notice in waiting room asking patients to indicate if they
> wish to be chaperoned.
I see one potential problem with this. Assuming for a moment the
correctness of the assertion that _I_ would never assault a patient
(as opposed to performing a legitimate and necessary examination), if
a patient had cause for complaint as a result of such an examination,
it would be for one of two reasons:
1. I have not effectively communicated to the patient the reason for
the procedure and obtained proper informed consent for it.
2. The patient is planning to deliberately accuse me of assaulting
her.
In the latter case (which I believe is very rare, but nevertheless
one which all male Doctors fear), the waiting room notice would be of
little help.
This is not to say that the waiting room notice is not a good idea,
just that one should remain on one's toes and not view it as
providing uinversal protection.
Cheers,
Rob
Rob Hills
MBBS, Grad Dip Com Stud, MACS
Rx Medical (Creating Quality Healthcare Software)
22 Hardy Street, South Perth, WA 6151, Australia
Phone: +61 9 474 1977 Fax: +61 9 474 1922
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