NEW LEGISLATION PROTECTS SPORTS MEDICINE DOCTORS (Orthopedics This Week)
Frederick M. Azar, M.D. Discusses Bill to Protect Sports Medicine Specialists
A team doctor accompanies athletes across state lines to cover a game. When the excitement of the game passes, however, he or she learns that they are at risk for a lawsuit. But things are changing with the introduction of a new bill in Congress that would provide licensure clarity for sports medicine professionals. Dr. Frederick Azar, M.D., President of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), tells OTW, “Sports medicine doctors often travel across state lines with their teams, and there are a lot of injuries during the game that require rapid evaluation. The team doctor is then faced with an unenviable dilemma: either deny their patient continuity of care from their own doctor who knows the athlete and his or her medical history, or treat their patient at significant professional and legal risk.”
“In the absence of licensure clarity, team doctors risk civil and criminal liability when they treat athletes and staff at away games, and their malpractice carriers would likely not cover the civil portion if there was an issue in a different state. Moreover, things have been rather ambiguous because of the differences in state laws. Thanks to this bill, doctors will not have to choose between their patient’s care and their ability to effectively practice medicine.”