A little ethical dilemma-am I fretting over nothing?

[JelloBrain]

Hi SDNers,
I have a little dilemma, and I would like your opinions. Posting in the Surgery forum as I got involved to provide an opinion regarding surgery, but if moderators feel any other forum is appropriate, please move as you see fit.

Some time ago, I was contacted by a friend of mine to give my surgical opinion on someone's case who was visiting from India and did not have insurance (pre-existing condition). I gave my opinion, that was endorsed by my PI (favor to me), and then I got the patient seen at my hospital (they paid out of pocket) where my diagnosis was confirmed and management plan agreed upon to be continued back in India. I never thought anything about helping out someone in any way I can.

However, yesterday I got a very expensive gift (the latest iPod Touch, with personalized engraving) from the patient's family (her son's a US citizen). I am touched and happy that they wanted to gift me something cool but I feel guilty about keeping the gift.

It is true I am not licensed in USA yet, but I came into the picture as a surgeon, so I feel that it is not appropriate. Even if I helped out as a friend, I do not think that I deserve such an expensive gift. After all I didn't find a cure, just handed them a life sentence (Alzheimer's, ).

I feel like I should return it to them with my appreciation for their gesture, and ask them to donate some money to charity as my "gift". My husband thinks I am just making an issue out of nothing, and just wants me to accept the gift and leave it at that.

I am sitting here, torn between wanting to play with a cool new toy (I don't even have a smart phone), and needing to do the correct thing.

What would you do? And what would you advice? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?

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[goinsurg]

I don't think this is an ethical question!! People give and recieve gifts for helping all the time. Its just a nice thing to do

 

[Winged Scapula]

You offered a medical opinion and advice to a friend which included "you need to see someone licensed and qualified in this country for diagnosis and treatment". They thanked you with a nice gift.

While I can understand you might feel uncomfortable taking the gift, I do not see this as an "ethical dilemma". They are not your patient, you are not employed in a capacity which prohibits accepting gifts from patients and you did nothing beyond giving them opinion and assisting them in getting an appointment at your facility.

Return the gift if you like (although if its engraved, they could not return it to the store) but this is not the same as you practicing medicine without a license and being given an extravagant gift by a patient in a situation where your employer forbades you from accepting patient gifts.

Yes, you are making a mountain out of a molehill, IMHO.

 

[Leforte]

When you become a resident and attending, you will find that some patients want to give you a gift as a sign of their appreciation for going above and beyond what they have experienced in the past, or to say thanks for the care that you have given. As long as it isn't something extravagant or over the top, i think it is fine to accept. Some patients bring in homemade cookies/cakes, some have brought in booze, some send very personal thank you cards, some gift certificates for a nice dinner. Others, receiving the same treatment, get upset and call patient relations. It's just how people react. What I appreciate more than any cake, cookies, wine or gift certificates is that someone has taken the time to reflect on the care that they received and cared enough about their physician/surgeon to let them know. We all want to feel that the work we do means something to those we intend to help. A simple thank you is always nice. I would accept the gift, and let them know how nice it is to have it to listen to some medical mp3's at the gym!

 

[JackADeli]

You offered a medical opinion and advice to a friend which included "you need to see someone licensed and qualified in this country for diagnosis and treatment". They thanked you with a nice gift...

...you are making a mountain out of a molehill, IMHO.

Agreed. accept it. To do otherwise will just make an awkward situation & possibly make you friend and/friend's family feel ashamed.

I know the 1.2 million dollar check I received from the visiting dignitary, with silicosis, from the east was deposited and put to good use. I generally prefer bottles of courvoisier but made an exception this once.

 

[JelloBrain]

Thanks for your unanimous opinions. I guess I have never received anything this expensive from anyone other than immediate family, so that added to my quandary.

Leforte, I am happy with cakes, cookies, flowers and cards-have survived on many of those, this just seemed too fancy for me.

Maybe this will make me join a gym,

 

[Fah-Q]

I think you should return the gift but you can't take it back to the store. PM me and I'll give you an address where you can send it.

 

[cpants]

If you decide to keep it, you might want to keep it on the down low. I know at my school it is policy that all employees and students are forbidden to receive gifts with a value of greater than 25 dollars (provided that the person giving the gift has something to do with their work at the school -- patient, coworker, boss, employee, student, etc). It's not wrong to accept the gift in this case, because these are your friends who you assisted in a time of need, not just some random patients. I don't think it would be wrong to return it either though. Do what feels right.

 

[FutrrENT]

Hi SDNers,
I have a little dilemma, and I would like your opinions. Posting in the Surgery forum as I got involved to provide an opinion regarding surgery, but if moderators feel any other forum is appropriate, please move as you see fit.

Some time ago, I was contacted by a friend of mine to give my surgical opinion on someone's case who was visiting from India and did not have insurance (pre-existing condition). I gave my opinion, that was endorsed by my PI (favor to me), and then I got the patient seen at my hospital (they paid out of pocket) where my diagnosis was confirmed and management plan agreed upon to be continued back in India. I never thought anything about helping out someone in any way I can.

However, yesterday I got a very expensive gift (the latest iPod Touch, with personalized engraving) from the patient's family (her son's a US citizen). I am touched and happy that they wanted to gift me something cool but I feel guilty about keeping the gift.

It is true I am not licensed in USA yet, but I came into the picture as a surgeon, so I feel that it is not appropriate. Even if I helped out as a friend, I do not think that I deserve such an expensive gift. After all I didn't find a cure, just handed them a life sentence (Alzheimer's, ).

I feel like I should return it to them with my appreciation for their gesture, and ask them to donate some money to charity as my "gift". My husband thinks I am just making an issue out of nothing, and just wants me to accept the gift and leave it at that.

I am sitting here, torn between wanting to play with a cool new toy (I don't even have a smart phone), and needing to do the correct thing.

What would you do? And what would you advice? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?

I think you need some Valium!

 

[Guile]

Can we please stop bumping this thread? Or maybe get it locked? It really needed one response: yes, you're fretting over nothing.