Mitigating Risk: Psychiatrist Licensure upon Patient Suicide

[DeadManLiving]

I heard psychiatrists could lose their license if their patients die by suicide, or face serious legal or other regulatory scrutiny.

Trying to minimize collateral damage and liability exposure upon impact post mortem. My psych is a very decent person and has been incredibly helpful but I don't want him losing his license or face any consequences.

What exposure or liability do psychiatrists face upon the death of a patient? And what can one do to mitigate any exposure to liability?

Terminating the doctor patient relationship by letter I assume? Writing a note that it was not the psychiatrist fault and the decision was made anticipatory?

Or is there a cool down period of say what (30/60/90 days?) post mortem after a patient dies by suicide after which the psychiatrist is no longer responsible?

Thank You

 

[rustcohle4life]

Probably depends on your state etc. Look up the specific laws in your area.

Sorry you're going through this man, much peace to you.

 

[EmptyBottle]

(in my opinion: )

If they missed some noticeable warning signs (like suspiciously slow/fast improvement rates maybe?), then they may be liable (but since patients can CTB randomly, a CTB doesn't guarantee liability or lack of liability).

Or if they could "reasonably foresee" the CTB. Since they can't hold patients in the ward without limit (or else, the ward becomes full and the newer ppl who never entered CTB... plus insurance will only cover so many days), they have to release them at some point.

And if the patients are able to trick the ward well... or relapse into whatever condition they were in before (or even the stress of the ward is too much), they can potentially CTB straight after or days/weeks/months after.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Your psychiatrist would be deemed liable if you told him you were going to kill yourself when you get home from the appointment and he let you leave and you proceed to do so.

But no doctor is going to to allow that to happen.

He is not telepathic or clairvoyant and has no way of knowing what you don't tell him regarding suicidal intent.

So in terms of losing his license there really isn't any fear of that even if he is subjected to some scrutiny or investigation. Otherwise the threshold for malpractice is pretty damn high.

If you're outpatient he obviously cannot control or predict what you do all the time between appointments (even in hospitals people manage to kill themselves). So if you want to cause the least side-eyeing, doing it with a large interval between appointments would be best.

Scrutinizing a psychiatrist's care after a suicide would be natural but in light of what was said above there is no risk of losing his license. Patient suicide is something to be prepared for if not anticipate at some point in a shrink's career.

Of course there will be psychological consequences on his part (questioning his skill, self-blame, grief, etc) but that has to be if you kill yourself just like anyone else in your personal life.

Do you want to talk about what's going on?

 

[claracatchingthebus]

Patients dying of suicide is a semi-normal part of being a psychiatrist. There would be no impact on their license unless they did something unethical and the suicide of a patient in and of itself is not unethical.

Fucking a patient who commits suicide would be a problem, refusing to hospitalize a suicidal patient because of political views and then they die of suicide would be a problem, but prescribing Hexapro instead of Drexzac and a patient ending their life wouldn't matter if there could be any possible reason to do that.

 

[DeadManLiving]

(in my opinion: )

If they missed some noticeable warning signs (like suspiciously slow/fast improvement rates maybe?), then they may be liable (but since patients can CTB randomly, a CTB doesn't guarantee liability or lack of liability).

Or if they could "reasonably foresee" the CTB. Since they can't hold patients in the ward without limit (or else, the ward becomes full and the newer ppl who never entered CTB... plus insurance will only cover so many days), they have to release them at some point.

And if the patients are able to trick the ward well... or relapse into whatever condition they were in before (or even the stress of the ward is too much), they can potentially CTB straight after or days/weeks/months after.

That's what I assumed. Thank you very much for the information.

I'm guessing "reasonably forseable" would mean no earlier than 30 days? 60 days?

Your psychiatrist would be deemed liable if you told him you were going to kill yourself when you get home from the appointment and he let you leave and you proceed to do so.

But no doctor is going to to allow that to happen.

He is not telepathic or clairvoyant and has no way of knowing what you don't tell him regarding suicidal intent.

So in terms of losing his license there really isn't any fear of that even if he is subjected to some scrutiny or investigation. Otherwise the threshold for malpractice is pretty damn high.

If you're outpatient he obviously cannot control or predict what you do all the time between appointments (even in hospitals people manage to kill themselves). So if you want to cause the least side-eyeing, doing it with a large interval between appointments would be best.

Scrutinizing a psychiatrist's care after a suicide would be natural but in light of what was said above there is no risk of losing his license. Patient suicide is something to be prepared for if not anticipate at some point in a shrink's career.

Of course there will be psychological consequences on his part (questioning his skill, self-blame, grief, etc) but that has to be if you kill yourself just like anyone else in your personal life.

Do you want to talk about what's going on?

Thank you for the information. This is the most eludicating response.

It's a long story. Circumstances not at fault beyond my control that I have spontaneously become privy to ... When I have the energy.

 

[microwaved_dawg]

Really nice to see you looking out for your psychiatrist :), goes to show that you are a really nice person. Mine is a POS so no worries there haha (maybe I should stop visiting him).

 

[EmptyBottle]

That's what I assumed. Thank you very much for the information.

I'm guessing "reasonably forseable" would mean no earlier than 30 days? 60 days?

Thank you for the information. This is the most eludicating response.

It's a long story. Circumstances not at fault beyond my control that I have spontaneously become privy to ... When I have the energy.

more like the patient 'showed no further signs of suicidal ideation and appears to be recovering'