title: So they want you to be their medical director.
abstract: Clinicians, especially physicians, who become "medical directors" of facilities or agencies incur more responsibilities than they sometimes realize. Clinical administration, such as medical director roles and duties, creates personal, professional, management, and forensic issues. For some, their day-to-day work changes little; others experience a shift in duties and relationships, particularly duties to and relationships with the organization (as contrasted with its patients) that are unfamiliar to most clinical professionals. One who accepts such a position should understand the organization's needs and expectations and, within bounds of professional ethics, be prepared to meet them. Even medical directors of very small organizations, such as small private hospitals or clinics, routinely, and sometimes unknowingly, incur administrative and/or legal responsibilities for which they may later be held accountable.
authors.affiliation: American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, USA. www.psychandlaw.org
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D004991:Ethics, Institutional; D058016:Health Facility Administration / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008486:Physician Executives / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D011641:Public Relations; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012925:Social Conformity; D012941:Social Responsibility