AMA sets standards for physician self-referral

Orlando - The American Medical Association’s Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) has concluded that it is unethical for physicians to self-refer to facilities in which they have a financial stake unless they disclose that information to all their patients, Medpage Today reports.
       By law, physicians cannot be part of a self-referral agreement that requires a physician to refer patients as a condition of the agreement, or one that prohibits referrals to outside facilities, according to Medpage Today.
       The new guidelines are in alignment with that law, but also go a bit further. The CEJA report advises physicians to assure patients that ongoing care does not hinge on patient acceptance of the recommended referral.