title: Ethical considerations in alleged dermatologic malpractice.
abstract: Although dermatology does not lead the list of specialties most commonly sued for malpractice, anyone who has been the recipient of a malpractice claim is often traumatized both personally and professionally. Every day dermatologists must address various ethical concerns that have legal implications. Herein, we chose to discuss the following such issues: (1) the ethical and legal necessity of submitting a clinically benign appearing lesion for dermatopathologic review; (2) the ethical and legal considerations regarding frequency of screening after a patient has been diagnosed with melanoma; (3) the multiple ethical and legal considerations involved with the misdiagnosis of a melanoma; (4) the complex ethical and legal considerations of a dermatologist making a clinical diagnosis in a nonprofessional social and public setting; and (5) the ethical and legal implications of sharing care of patients with other dermatologists and specialists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Connecticut Health Center, 21 South Road, Farmington, CT 06030-6231, USA.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Barry D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Kels
authors.forename: Jane M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Grant-Kels
mesh_terms: D003880:Dermatology / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D030881:Disclosure / Q000941:ethics; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000941:ethics; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D008318:Malpractice; D017057:Medically Uninsured; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000941:ethics; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology