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Legal Issues

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International Medical Graduate Physicians

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Abstract

Emphasizing the sociocultural principles that influence laws that regulate the practice of psychiatric medicine in the United States, this chapter highlights major legal issues commonly faced by trainees. An overview of the U.S. legal system puts these issues in the context of their origin and cultural importance. Local variations in practice expectations are approached from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Mandatory reporting requirements and duty to warn or protect are reviewed within a larger discussion of patient confidentiality. Patient autonomy and legal justification for involuntary treatments are presented, as well as the concepts of informed consent, capacity, and competency. The authors discuss special malpractice issues and offer suggestions for interacting with the legal system.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, First Floor, East Medical Plaza, 627 S. Edwin C. Moses Blvd., Dayton, OH, 45417-1461, USA

    Ryan P. Peirson M.D.

  2. Peninsula Behavioral Health, 118 E. 8th Street, Port Angeles, WA, 98362, USA

    Joshua C. W. Jones M.D.

Authors
  1. Ryan P. Peirson M.D.
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  2. Joshua C. W. Jones M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryan P. Peirson M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, New York, USA

    Nyapati R. Rao

  2. Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA

    Laura Weiss Roberts

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Peirson, R.P., Jones, J.C.W. (2016). Legal Issues. In: Rao, N., Roberts, L. (eds) International Medical Graduate Physicians. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39460-2_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39460-2_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-39458-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-39460-2

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