Caring for Adolescent Family Members of Physician Colleagues

Abstract It is recommended that physicians do not care for their family members. However, there are also many concerning issues when physicians care for the family members of their colleagues. This can be particularly challenging when the patient is an adolescent. We present the case of Dr. B who is asked to see the teenage daughter of her colleague Dr. A, and discuss the issues of caring for an adolescent family member of a physician colleague. Patient confidentiality, autonomy, and maintenance of the patient-physician relationship are core principles that must be adhered to in this situation. The roles of the treating physician and the parental physician are discussed.