Whether dealing with medical services directly or through a proxy, cases of Munchausen Syndrome represent a major drain on time and resources needed for dealing with patients in need of medical services. First identified in 1951, Munchausen Syndrome (formally recognized as a form of factitious disorder) can lead to multiple hospital admissions by patients seeking attention and/or sympathy by doctors and nurses. A related syndrome, Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSP)involves use of a second person (usually a child) to gain attention and treatment using false or exaggerated symptoms. Although child protective services have successfully prosecuted cases of MSP on the grounds of child abuse, the true incidence of MSP and Munchausen Syndrome remains unknown.
Doctors in the Australian state of Victoria have called for an electronic "blacklist" to alert hospitals and private clinics about patients who repeatedly seek medical treatment for suspicious symptoms. Although emergency department physicians have dubbed these patients, "frequent flyers", medical ethicists are warning about the possible risks of the proposed blacklist. Patients who have been flagged as possible Munchausen cases may be deprived of necessary treatment despite actual need as well as concerns about lack of privacy. Doctors are also recommending psychiatric referrals for suspected cases as well as working with family members to ensure that proper care is maintained and to avoid the health risks resulting from repeated medical test and hospitalizations.
For more information.
Doctors in the Australian state of Victoria have called for an electronic "blacklist" to alert hospitals and private clinics about patients who repeatedly seek medical treatment for suspicious symptoms. Although emergency department physicians have dubbed these patients, "frequent flyers", medical ethicists are warning about the possible risks of the proposed blacklist. Patients who have been flagged as possible Munchausen cases may be deprived of necessary treatment despite actual need as well as concerns about lack of privacy. Doctors are also recommending psychiatric referrals for suspected cases as well as working with family members to ensure that proper care is maintained and to avoid the health risks resulting from repeated medical test and hospitalizations.
For more information.
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