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VIEWS & REVIEWS: Anthony H Knight From doctor to carer: mission impossible? BMJ 2009; 338: b2614 [Full text]

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Physician Impossible

Hugh Mann   (4 July 2009)

Physician Impossible 4 July 2009
Hugh Mann, Physician Eagle Rock, MO 65641 USA Send response to journal: Re: Physician Impossible	A physician with a sick family member is faced with the difficult, if not impossible, task of relinquishing the role of physician and accepting the role of co-patient. This role reversal is an awkward dilemma for all parties and should be discussed openly with flexibility and compromise. One possibility is an ad hoc clinical alliance between the treating and non-treating physicians which bridges the divide between physician and patient, so that irrespective of the outcome, all concerned will feel they did their best, and will not be haunted with doubts, regrets, or guilt. Competing interests: None declared