New Edition of the Principles:
The new 2008 Edition of the "Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry" was distributed to the luncheon attendees. The new edition includes APA Board of Trustees approved changes which the Ethics Committee had recommended to the “Procedures for Handling Complaints of Unethical Conduct” (Procedures) which bring the Procedures into compliance with HIPAA confidentiality laws.
The proposed changes require that the branch provide the patient/complainant with an authorization form(s) that comply with federal law and applicable state law. The change also makes provision for the psychotherapy note authorization.
The new Procedures make it clear that cases that may be decided solely on the basis of extrinsic evidence may be initiated by the forwarding of documentation supporting the complaint to the district branch or APA Ethics Chair without a formal, signed charging letter.
A supply of the new “Principles” will be sent to each district branch. The new version is online at:
http://www.psych.org/MainMenu/PsychiatricPractice/Ethics/ResourcesStandards/PrinciplesofMedicalEthics.aspx
