Legal Ramifications for Physicians of Patients Who Drive With Hepatic Encephalopathy

Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Volumn 9, Issue 2, 2011, Pages 156-160

  Cohen, Stanley Martin ^a   Kim, Abraham ^a   Metropulos, Maria ^a   Ahn, Joseph ^a  

^a LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER   (United States)

Author keywords

Auto Accidents From Medical Disorders; Drivers With Serious Medical Conditions; Risk of Driving With Hepatic Encephalopathy

Indexed keywords

ARTICLE; CLINICAL ASSESSMENT; CLINICAL EVALUATION; HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY; HUMAN; LAW SUIT; LEGAL DATABASE; LEGAL EVIDENCE; LIVER DISEASE; PHYSICIAN; TRAFFIC ACCIDENT;

ACCIDENTS, TRAFFIC; AUTOMOBILE DRIVING; HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY; HUMANS; LIABILITY, LEGAL; MANDATORY REPORTING; PHYSICIAN'S ROLE; PHYSICIANS; STATE GOVERNMENT; UNITED STATES;

EID: 78751681355     PISSN: 15423565     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2010.08.002     Document Type: Article

References (27)

1. Ferenci P., Lockwood A., Mullen K., et al. Hepatic encephalopathy: definition, nomenclature, diagnosis, and quantification: final report of the working party at the 11th World Congresses of Gastroenterology, Vienna, 1998. Hepatology 2002, 35:716-721.
2. Rikkers L., Jenko P., Rudman D., et al. Subclinical hepatic encephalopathy: detection, prevalence, and relationship to nitrogen metabolism. Gastroenterology 1978, 75:462-469.
3. Saxena N., Bhatia M., Joshi Y.K., et al. Auditory P300 event-related potentials and number connection test for evaluation of subclinical hepatic encephalopathy in patients with cirrhosis of the liver: a follow-up study. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2001, 16:322-327.
4. Bajaj J.S., Saeian K., Verber M.D., et al. Inhibitory control test is a simple method to diagnose minimal hepatic encephalopathy and predict development of overt hepatic encephalopathy. Am J Gastroenterol 2007, 102:754-760.
5. Gitlin N., Lewis D.C., Hinkley L. The diagnosis and prevalence of subclinical hepatic encephalopathy in apparently healthy, ambulant, non-shunted patients with cirrhosis. J Hepatol 1986, 3:75-82.
6. Schomerus H., Hamster W., Blunck H., et al. Latent portosystemic encephalopathy: I-nature of cerebral functional defects and their effect on fitness to drive. Dig Dis Sci 1981, 26:622-630.
7. Watanabe A., Tuchida T., Yata Y., et al. Evaluation of neuropsychological function in patients with liver cirrhosis with special reference to their driving ability. Metab Brain Dis 1995, 10:239-248.
8. Srivastava A., Mehta R., Rothke S.P., et al. Fitness to drive in patients with cirrhosis and portal-systemic shunting: a pilot study evaluating driving performance. J Hepatol 1994, 21:1023-1028.
9. Wein C., Koch H., Popp B., et al. Minimal hepatic encephalopathy impairs fitness to drive. Hepatology 2004, 39:739-745.
10. Kircheis G., Knoche A., Hilger N., et al. Hepatic encephalopathy and fitness to drive. Gastroenterology 2009, 137:1706-1715.
11. Bajaj J.S., Hafeezullah M., Hoffmann R.G., et al. Minimal hepatic encephalopathy: a vehicle for accidents and traffic violations. Am J Gastroenterol 2007, 102:1903-1909.
12. Bajaj J.S., Saeian K., Schubert C.M., et al. Minimal hepatic encephalopathy is associated with motor vehicle crashes: the reality beyond the driving test. Hepatology 2009, 50:1175-1183.
13. National Transportation Safety Administration website, Accessed March 22, 2010. http://www.nhtsa.gov.
14. Aschkenasy M.T., Drescher M.J., Ratzan R.M. Physician reporting of medically impaired drivers. J Emerg Med 2006, 30:29-39.
15. Bajaj J.S., Wade J.B., Sanyal A.J. Spectrum of neurocognitive impairment in cirrhosis: implications for the assessment of hepatic encephalopathy. Hepatology 2009, 50:2014-2021.
16. Bajaj J.S. Minimal hepatic encephalopathy matters in daily life. World J Gastroenterol 2008, 14:3609-3615.
17. Weissenborn K., Ennen J.C., Schomerus H., et al. Neuropsychological characterization of hepatic encephalopathy. J Hepatol 2001, 34:768-773.
18. Bajaj J.S., Etemadian A., Hafeezullah M., et al. Testing for minimal hepatic encephalopathy in the United States: an AASLD survey. Hepatology 2007, 45:833-834.
19. Bajaj J.S., Hafeezullah M., Hoffmann R.G., et al. Navigation skill impairment: another dimension of the driving difficulties in minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Hepatology 2008, 47:596-604.
20. Cordoba J., Lucke R. Driving under the influence of minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Hepatology 2004, 39:599-601.
21. Munoz S.J. Driving with minimal hepatic encephalopathy: real world consequences? Am J Gastroenterol 2007, 102:1910-1911.
22. Dubinsky R.M., Stein A.C. Minimal hepatic encephalopathy and driving. Hepatology 2009, 50:1007-1008.
23. Turnipseed S.D., Vierra D., DeCarlo D., et al. Reporting patterns for "lapses of consciousness" by California emergency physicians. J Emerg Med 2008, 35:15-21.
24. Physician's guide to assessing and counseling older drivers. 2nd ed (released February 3, 2010) American Medical Association, Accessed April 7, 2010. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/public-health/promoting-healthy-lifestyles/geriatric-health/older-driver-safety/assessing-counseling-older-drivers.shtml.
25. Opinion 2.24 American Medical Association Council of Ethical and Judicial Affairs, Accessed March 22, 2010. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/code-medical-ethics/opinion224.shtml.
26. Black L. Physicians' legal responsibility to report impaired drivers. Virtual Mentor 2008, 10:393-396. Accessed March 22, 2010. http://virtualmentor.ama-assn.org/2008/06/hlaw1-0806.html.
27. Bajaj J.S., Ananthakrishnan A.N., McGinley E.L., et al. Deleterious effect of cirrhosis on outcomes after motor vehicle crashes using the nationwide inpatient sample. Am J Gastroenterol 2008, 103:1674-1681.