Emedinews:Insights on Medicolegal Issues:Medical negligence

• Any doctor who is qualified by medical council and renders emergency care or treatment to a person suffering or appearing to suffer from cardiac arrest, which may include the use of an automated external defibrillator, in good faith and without compensation, shall be immune from civil liability for any personal injury as a result of care or treatment or as a result of any act or failure to act in providing or arranging further medical treatment where the person acts as an ordinary prudent person would have acted under the same or similar circumstances, except damages that may result for the gross negligence of the person rendering emergency care. This immunity shall extend to the licensed physician.
• If a doctor passes the scene of an accident in which some person has been injured and is in need of urgent medical attention he would not be held to have been negligent if he does not render assistance, as no doctor/patient relationship has been established and in consequences the doctor owes the patient no legal duty.
• If, however, the doctor goes to the assistance of a person who is injured in an accident, a doctor /patient relationship is at once established. When any physician gratuitously advises medical personnel at the scene of an emergency episode by direct voice contact, to render medical assistance based upon information received by voice or biotelemetry equipment, the actions ordered taken by the physician to sustain life or reduce disability shall not be considered liable when the actions are within the established medical procedures.
• A doctor has a duty to exercise reasonable skill and care regardless of whether or not his services are being given gratuitously. A national health policy is required to be formulated to render emergency treatment to a person.
• If such a practitioner fails to attend an emergency call and a complaint is made against him it may well be that some disciplinary action will be taken against him by the health authority/medical council.