We'll publish our experts' answers to selected questions. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind when creating your practice's policy. Document everything in detail. In a nonconfrontational manner, approach the patient about being intoxicated. Express concern about the patient's ability to drive, and offer to help the patient find an alternate ride home.
Some practices even pay the patient's cab fare out of a special petty-cash fund.
If your initial approach is met with belligerence or a refusal to cooperate, call the police. If this is a recurring problem, speak with your practice's general liability insurance company to confirm that the practice would be covered in the event of a claim by an intoxicated patient. The number of hospitals covered is a function of the location of the practice. Some physicians in rural areas may not have any hospital privileges or responsibilities, while those in large urban areas may be actively involved with several hospitals. In the larger areas, the formula for determining days on call may need to be adjusted since it may be necessary to have more than one physician on call at all times to cover all the hospitals.