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June 2020

Ethics Corner

Ethics Corner

B. Stephens Richards, MD
Ethics & Professionalism Committee Chair

A patient secretly records the clinic conversation with his spine surgeon. Is this legal, and ethical?

Scenario:
Dr. Jones has seen Mr. Smith in his office twice previously for evaluation of Mr. Smith’s painful degenerative lumbar spine deformity. Dr. Jones encouraged non-operative care for several months before considering any operative intervention.