Case Name: SCHRADER v. KOHOUT
Court: Court of Appeals of Georgia
Jurisdiction: Georgia
Decision Date: 1999-07-15
Citations: 239 Ga. App. 134
Docket Number: A99A0040
Parties: SCHRADER v. KOHOUT.
Judges: Johnson, C. J., Blackburn, R J., Barnes and Ellington, JJ, concur. Pope, P. J., and Eldridge, J., dissent.
Reporter: Georgia Appeals Reports
Volume: 239
Pages: 134–142

Head Matter:
A99A0040.
SCHRADER v. KOHOUT.
(522 SE2d 19)

Opinion:
Smith, Judge.
This case arises out of the denial of a motion for summary judgment by Sue Schrader in a medical malpractice action filed against her by Kim Kohout. For the reasons that follow, we reverse.
Kim Kohout filed her initial complaint against Schrader and several other defendants, alleging that they negligently provided psychological care and treatment to her. In a much expanded amended complaint in which Kohout named several new defendants, she alleged that "Schrader violated the duty which she owed to Plaintiff to exercise the ordinary care and diligence which a reasonable and prudent psychologist supervising a nonmedical therapist would have used in the same or similar circumstances." Schrader filed a motion for summary judgment. She argued, among other things, that she did not have a professional relationship with Kohout, did not perform any professional services for her, and therefore owed Kohout no legal or professional duty. The trial court denied the motion, but granted a certificate of immediate review. This court granted Schrader's application for interlocutory appeal. Because we agree with Schrader that no physician-client relationship existed between her and Kohout, we reverse.
Kohout, who had a history of psychological problems, began treatment with Dr. Donna Ulrici, a psychologist, in 1990. Ulrici diagnosed Kohout as suffering from "Multiple Personality Disorder." A short time later, Ulrici began consulting with Schrader, another psychologist, concerning Kohout's condition because of Schrader's "expertise in dissociative disorders." These consultations began in May 1991, and they ended in December 1995. Schrader met with Ulrici individually during the first four consultations, while the remainder were group consultations that included approximately five other psychotherapists. Ulrici paid a fee to Schrader for the consultations, and it appears that Kohout's condition and treatment options were discussed extensively during the sessions, which occurred bi-monthly and lasted two hours each. We also note that both Schrader and Ulrici referred to the consultations occasionally as "supervision" groups in their notes and that the trial court, in its order denying summary judgment, referred to the group as a " 'supervision consultation group.' "
The extensive nature of the consultations concerning Kohout's condition and the occasional references to the consultation groups as "supervision groups" notwithstanding, we agree with Schrader that summary judgment on her behalf was warranted.
Georgia law is clear that physician-patient privity is an absolute requirement for the maintenance of a professional malpractice action.
It is a well-settled principle of Georgia law that there can be no liability for malpractice in the absence of [a] physician-patient relationship. . In such cases, called classic medical malpractice actions, doctor-patient privity is essential because it is this relation which is a result of a consensual transaction that establishes the legal duty to conform to a standard of conduct. The relationship is considered consensual where the patient knowingly seeks the assistance of the physician and the physician knowingly accepts him as a patient.
(Citations and punctuation omitted.) Peace v. Weisman, 186 Ga. App. 697, 698 (1) (368 SE2d 319) (1988). See also Payne v. Sherrer, 217 Ga. App. 761, 762-763 (458 SE2d 916) (1995); Minster v. Pohl, 206 Ga. App. 617 (426 SE2d 204) (1992).
It is true that Schrader consulted with Ulrici, for compensation, about Kohout's condition for over four years. But these facts did not automatically create a physician-patient relationship between Schra-der and Kohout. The record shows that the fee was paid personally by Ulrici, and Kohout has pointed to no evidence showing that she was charged for Schrader's services. More importantly, it is undisputed that Schrader never met Kohout and never saw her records during the consultation period, and Kohout's identity was not disclosed, except for her first name, during this period. Additionally, the undisputed evidence shows that Schrader had no authority with regard to Ulrici's treatment of Kohout. Ulrici testified by affidavit that "[a]t all times, my treatment of plaintiff . . . was conducted independently under the authority of my license as a clinical psychologist. Although I did discuss psychotherapy techniques relating to MPD with Dr. Schrader, I always maintained the independent authority and responsibility in regard to the treatment of my patient." Although the consultation group attended by Ulrici was occasionally referred to as a "supervision" group, and Schrader may have occasionally been referred to as Ulrici's "supervisor," both Ulrici and Schrader have provided direct, undisputed, unequivocal evidence that Schrader never supervised Ulrici's treatment of Kohout.
Under these facts, we cannot conclude that Kohout has shown the essential element of physician-patient privity. Schrader never examined Kohout and never even met with her. Schrader never saw Kohout's medical records during the consultation period. Although Kohout may have known that Ulrici was consulting with Schrader, the record does not show that the relationship between Schrader and Kohout was one in which the "patient knowingly [sought] the assistance of the physician and the physician knowingly accepted] [her] as a patient." (Citation and punctuation omitted.) Peace, supra at 698 (1). Moreover, although Ulrici unquestionably consulted with Schra-der for an extended period of time, nothing in the record justifies an inference that Schrader ever acted as Kohout's doctor. See Minster, supra at 620 (1). Because Schrader was never privy to Kohout's medical records, it follows that Ulrici controlled the flow of information to Schrader about Kohout's condition; she at all times made decisions as to the extent and type of information about Kohout she shared with Schrader. Most importantly, although Kohout's condition may have been extensively discussed by Ulrici and Schrader, Ulrici made all decisions as to Kohout's treatment. A physician-patient relationship did not exist between Schrader and Kohout under these facts. Accordingly, summary judgment in Schrader's favor was warranted.
We note that the dissent cites several cases from other jurisdictions for the proposition that a physician-patient relationship was created in this case. Aside from the fact that these cases are not binding on the courts of this state, several of the cases do not support the dissent's position in this case. For example, the dissent cites a passage from Corbet v. McKinney, 980 SW2d 166 (Mo. App. 1998) to support its conclusion that Schrader can be subject to Kohout's malpractice action despite the fact that she never had direct contact with Kohout. In Corbet, the Missouri Court of Appeals ultimately held that the secondary physician's consultation with the patient's primary care physician did not establish the requisite physician-patient relationship giving rise to a duty of care.
Furthermore, both McKinney v. Schlatter, 118 Ohio App.3d 328 (692 NE2d 1045, 1050) (1997) and Walters v. Rinker, 520 NE2d 468, 472 (Ind. App. 1988), both cited by the dissent, are factually distinguishable from the case at hand. In McKinney, a malpractice claim was allowed against a cardiologist who was officially the "on call" cardiologist for a hospital emergency room at the time that the patient was brought in. Although the cardiologist was not present at the hospital, he was consulted by an attending physician who described the patient's condition. In McKinney the malpractice claim was allowed because the cardiologist, as the on-call cardiologist, had accepted primary responsibility and control of cardiac care for emergency room patients.
Rinker, supra, can be similarly distinguished from this case. In Rinker, a patient was allowed to bring a medical malpractice action against a pathologist for misdiagnosis of a tumor removed from the patient's. body. As in McKinney, the pathologist in Rinker had accepted direct responsibility and control for one aspect related to the patient's treatment, the analysis of the plaintiff's tumor. The pathologist was the primary physician with regard to the critical determination of the tumor's malignancy.
No acceptance of direct responsibility and control exists in this case. Here, Schrader and several other psychologists joined in a discussion of various cases of the involved psychologists, including Kohout's case. Schrader gave advice on Kohout's treatment to a fellow psychologist. She was under no obligation to the patient to do so, and unlike McKinney and Rinker never assumed control of the psychological care of Kohout. As such, Schrader cannot be considered to have been in a psychologist-patient relationship, as the dissent contends.
We note that Bradley Center v. Wessner, 250 Ga. 199 (296 SE2d 693) (1982), relied upon by the trial court, is inapposite here. The Supreme Court of Georgia in that case addressed the issue of the duty imposed on a mental health hospital to exercise control over a patient who was shown to be likely to cause harm to others. Here, the record shows that Schrader did not "control" Kohout, and the contention has not been made that Schrader was liable for bodily harm caused by Kohout to others.
Judgment reversed.
Johnson, C. J., Blackburn, R J., Barnes and Ellington, JJ, concur. Pope, P. J., and Eldridge, J., dissent.
The facts of this case are more fully set out in Charter Peachford Behavioral Health System v. Kohout, 233 Ga. App. 452 (504 SE2d 514) (1998) (physical precedent only).
See id. at 452-453.
We note that in Peace, supra, and Payne, supra, privity was not established even where plaintiffs were examined by the physicians on whom they sought to impose professional liability. Here, not only did Schrader never examine Kohout, she also never even met or talked with her before this lawsuit was instituted, nor did she review her medical records.