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.
Rapid Response:
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
Competing interests: No competing interests