The Team Physician: Ethical and Legal Issues

I have asked Gayle Spill, MD, to guest edit this Ethical Legal column. Dr Spill is a physiatrist and clinical ethicist who has been in practice for more than 20 years and has written on topics including cancer prognosis disclosure and quality of life considerations. She and I invited 3 experts to respond to a general query about the ethical and legal issues surrounding the team physician. Our first columnist, Cheri Blauwet, MD, is a physiatrist at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, a Paralympic gold medallist, and chairperson of the Medical Committee of the International Paralympic Committee. Our second