Legal Question in Health Care Law in North Carolina
Is there a penalty for pasrents who do not pursue a diagnoses of an 8 y/o child'
I, a Board Certified Physician in Family Practice had the opportunity to examine and evaluate an 8 year old girl, a resident of NC, while she was visiting in Phoenix, Az. I clearly informed her custodial grandmother of my medical opinion and advised of the potential for a short life, if not diagnosed and treated. I advised of the available diagnostic testing procedures to do. Her entire family refused to have the tests done, I proffed to pay for the diagnostic tests from my account! Still they ignore. The diagnostic tests are not unmcomfortabole or time consuming or frightening.
Please advise how I can mandate the tests be done, at my expense.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Is there a penalty for pasrents who do not pursue a diagnoses of an 8 y/o ch
I believe you have both an ethical and legal obligation to report suspected child abuse or neglect. The following is from the web site at PCANC at http://www.childabusenc.org/report-abuse.htm:
How to Make a Report
You can make a report of child abuse by calling, writing, or visiting your county Department of Social Services, the Child Protective Services Division. The address and phone number can be found in the front of your local phone book in the county government section, or by calling 1-800-354-KIDS or 1-919-733-2580. A social worker will listen to you and take down all the information you give.
It is helpful if you can share the following information:
the name, address, and age of the child
the name and address or the child's parent, guardian, or caretaker
the child's condition, including the nature and extent of the injury
any information regarding the presence of weapons, alcohol/drug abuse, or other factors affecting the social worker's safety are important
Important
You do not need to prove that abuse has taken place; you only need reasonable grounds for suspicion.
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