If Doctors Ask the Right Questions, Patients Can Be Pointed Toward Legal Help
Training busy doctors to ask the right questions to identify legal issues in the midst of a medical exam can be a challenge.
But a growing trend toward partnering hospitals with legal services clinics is helping low-income patients address the life issues that are exacerbating their medical problems, reports the New York Times. Often located right in the same building, a legal clinic can potentially help patients with problems ranging from housing conditions to withheld government benefits.
One potential source of conflict, possible medical malpractice claims, aren’t handled by such legal clinics, according to the newspaper.
“This has transformed the way we think about giving care,” says pediatrician Dr. Robert Kahn of Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati. He helped launch the hospital’s partnership with the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati.
Related coverage:
ABA Journal: “Wellness Program”
