Does an occupational physician have a duty to carry out general clinical assessments?

Med Leg J. 2021 Jul 19:258172211024853. doi: 10.1177/00258172211024853. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

An occupational physician is employed to be responsible for the overall assessment of workers’ health risks and all work-related pathological situations which creates an unusual doctor-patient relationship. The duties of the occupational physician are also very limited as is their professional responsibility. However, the boundaries of the occupational physician’s duties and responsibilities are not always clear. The purpose of this article is to answer the following question: Does the occupational doctor have a duty to carry out general clinical evaluations (not work-related) of the patient?

PMID:34279142 | DOI:10.1177/00258172211024853