preview

Ethical Dilemma 42 Case Study

Satisfactory Essays

Ethical Dilemma 42: Susie is a nurse in the outpatient center where you work and a very good friend of Mark’s, a co-worker in your department. Susie was in a car accident three weeks ago. She comes into the department to visit Mark during a break complaining about her sore neck. You look over towards Mark and Susie and notice Mark doing soft tissue mobilization on Susie's neck. You have moved from Florida and your state licensure law requires a physician's prescription or referral before initiating this type of treatment. You know that Mark does not have a physician's referral to provide this treatment to Susie.

The problem of ethical dilemma 42 is that Mark is doing soft tissue mobilization on Susie’s neck and a physician’s referral was not obtained. Florida state licensure law requires a physician’s referral before initiating such type of treatment. In addition, both Susie and Mark are very good friends.
The fact of the situation is that prescription or referral is required before treatment, especially if the therapist wants to get paid by third party payers. There are no national rules or regulations preventing an occupational therapist from receiving referrals from anyone. However, third-party payers, such as managed care …show more content…

The therapist is affected because it is his license on the line and will not get paid from third party payers. If no one is being billed, then the facility is not making money either. The facility may be a liability if the client gets hurt while in therapy as the therapist does not have any paperwork from the primary care physician that the client is cleared or need occupational therapy. The nature of the interest is professional; the therapist should be aware that a referral is needed before initiating the type of treatment. Personal, the occupational therapist is providing treatment to a very close friend in the facility where he

Get Access