Private or intimate relations between doctor and patient: is zero tolerance warranted?
This article reviews and comments on the five categories of arguments used to defend zero tolerance with regard to sexual contacts resulting from the physician-patient relationship as summarised by Cullen. In addition it puts forward a hypothesis-"fear of loss by third party"-as a psychological explanation for the collective insistence on a zero tolerance policy.
Spiegel
W
W
Department of General Practice, Institute of Medical Education, Medical University of Vienna, Thaliastrasse 102/9, A-1160 Vienna, Austria. wolfgang.spiegel@meduniwien.ac.at
Colella
T
T
Lupton
P
P
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009014:Morals; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000941:ethics*; D013731:Territoriality; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology