Suicide by Managed Care: The Cost of Care Versus the Value of Life
A series by Rand Partridge, Ph.D.
As a therapist, what do you do if a managed care company denies care for a suicidal patient? Who is held accountable if the patient takes their life? If the company saves money when a patient dies, can they be trusted to make the decision that is in the best interest of the patient?
This series by Rand Partridge, Ph.D. looks at these issues and more. With Congress debating managed care reform this series is both important and timely.
The Series:
Part 1-- primum non nocere
Health care professionals are all taught to "first do no
harm." Are managed care reviewers held to the same standard?
Part 2 -- Who’s Liable?!
What is the therapist's responsibility when the managed care company
denies care? How does one exercise this?
Part 3 --
ERISA: MCO Cloak of Immunity
The Employee Retirement Income
Security Act appears to protect many managed care companies from any
liability. The issues are complex.
Part 4 -- Legislating MCO Accountability
Until the laws are changed, therapists must take care to protect
themselves against malpractice claims when working with high-risk clients in a
managed care environment.
What do you think?
Share your views on the Mental Health Resources Forum
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Rand Partridge, Ph.D. has worked with acute and chronic mental disorders and educationally handicapping conditions in school, hospital, and clinic settings as a special educator and psychologist. In addition to the application of law in education and mental health, his interests lie in working with children, adolescents, young adults and their families to resolve problems expressed in learning, attention, cognition, affect, and behavior. Dr. Partridge studied or trained at Northwestern University, The University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins Medical School/Kennedy Krieger Institute. He can be reached by email at docld@mindspring.com or by phone at (316) 663-9409. |