The War on the Curbside Consult
Today’s topic is the war on the curbside consult. Curbside consults, where physicians informally solicit one another’s opinion, are an integral part of patient care, and they are absolutely invaluable when formal consultation is unavailable or impractical. Unfortunately, the medical legal community views curbside consults as a sloppy and dangerous practice that carries unacceptable legal risk. And, for the past 20 years, they’ve warned us against curbside consults, encouraged us to avoid these interactions, and some malpractice insurers have gone as far as stating that curbsides are not appropriate in any situation.