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I am a first year medical student so I apologize if I am putting this inquiry into the wrong forum. I remember learning in a graduate school course some time ago that physicians have an obligation to treat people in emergency situations outside the hospital/office. For example, if someone has a heart attack on a plane, a physician who does not attend to the person could be in violation of the law?
I understand that if you do decide to help someone in an emergency situation, you must provide them with some acceptable standard of care. I am a little fuzzy about this, though... I have heard physicians who order drinks on airplanes just to have a plausible excuse not to treat people who suffer an acute MI mid-flight (presumably because they do not want to be sued if the person ends up dying). Anyway, can someone clear this up for me? Sorry if it is a little convoluted.
I understand that if you do decide to help someone in an emergency situation, you must provide them with some acceptable standard of care. I am a little fuzzy about this, though... I have heard physicians who order drinks on airplanes just to have a plausible excuse not to treat people who suffer an acute MI mid-flight (presumably because they do not want to be sued if the person ends up dying). Anyway, can someone clear this up for me? Sorry if it is a little convoluted.