Celebrity's Personal Paramedic

[romneyfor2012]

In light of what all has transpired after deaths of celebrities due to drug abuse, how would you react to the following scenario:

You respond to a lovely mansion to treat an elderly female who is complaining of chest pain. You immediately recognize one of the family members as a very famous celebrity. You save his granny's life, and after the call, he asks if you would consider becoming his personal medic. He confides that just like the tabloids say, he parties hard, and has been to rehab several times. He will pay you the salary you demand, give you a home on his compound, nice car, whatever you want. You will be expected to excort him to all of his parties, in case he takes a little too much of that drug of the day.

1. Would you take the job, realizing you will be a witness to a crime on a daily basis (prostitution, drugs bought/sold/used) ? You are never asked to do anything illegal, or to administer any drugs other than the typical ACLS drugs you would use to revive him (you do not have to administer prophylol every night)

2. If you do, what would be your price to become his personal protector ? He has already purchased defib/monitor, his physician stocked him a crash cart previously.

3. Do you have an ethical duty as an emt/medic to report him to the authorities to help protect him from himself now that you have knowledge of his plan.

[Vorenus]

Is the celebrity Keira Knightley...?

Then whatever... sure!!

[hatelilpeepees]

1. The way my 401k looks right now, I can not lie and say I would not be tempted.

2. I would have to figure up my remaining year's earning potential as a baseline, in case I lost my license being caught up in his shananigans, and then multiply that by some ridiculous factor. I have been poor to middle class most of my life, I wouldnt mind a taste of the good life.

3. I imagine there would be some confidentially cause as part of our working contract, so no, as long as we are talking about an adult and not a child star.

[ERDoc]

There is no ethical issue here. The celebrity is not homicidal or suicidal so you have no duty to report anything, in fact doing so may be a violation of privacy (dare I say HIPAA). The law allows you to make stupid decisions. As far as being exposed to drug and prostitution, that is a personal choice and the answer depends on your personal morals. If he starts asking you to administer other meds such as narcotics, etc then that is crossing the line. The bigger issue I see is, who is going to sign off as your medical director?

[romneyfor2012]

His personal doctor will sign-off, he sees it as an insurance policy to protect for all those narcotics he prescribed.

And I should not have limited it to a he, the celebrity can be male or female if that swings you one way or another.

[croaker260]

ERDoc,

HIPAA is not violated if it is a mandated reporting incident, which difers by state to state. HIPAA also only applies if you are doing electronic billing for medicare/medicaid, which is not the case here, though other privacy laws may apply.

The medical director issue is a part of a larger issue...does the state allow paramedics to work outside of a licensed EMS agency? Of course with unlimited $$ in a fictional world, a "shell" private EMS agency could be set up just for this.

Many other allied health professions practice across state lines, Athletic trainers and Physical therapists as well as Physicians with sports teams is a prime example...so this is not out of the realm of plausibility... just very very unlikely.

[ERDoc]

ERDoc,

HIPAA is not violated if it is a mandated reporting incident, which difers by state to state. HIPAA also only applies if you are doing electronic billing for medicare/medicaid, which is not the case here, though other privacy laws may apply.

The medical director issue is a part of a larger issue...does the state allow paramedics to work outside of a licensed EMS agency? Of course with unlimited $$ in a fictional world, a "shell" private EMS agency could be set up just for this.

Many other allied health professions practice across state lines, Athletic trainers and Physical therapists as well as Physicians with sports teams is a prime example...so this is not out of the realm of plausibility... just very very unlikely.

Yeah, I realize that about HIPAA. It was meant more tongue-in-cheek based on some of our recent threads but didn't come off that way. However, I think Romey has changed up the scenario a little bit. I now have an ethical concern based on the physician prescribing the meds. That needs to be reported to the state medical board and DEA if the physician is knowingly prescibing narcotics that are being used in an inappropriate manner. If you provide care for the pt, you may be on the hook also, even if you didn't administer any of the meds. At the very least, you as the paramedic will have a nightmare of a PR issue on your hands.

[hatelilpeepees]

Yes croaker, EMTs/medics work in all kinds of non-ambulance roles: Sports Medicine, Urgent Cares, ERs, Nursing Homes, Private Sitters, Draw Labs and do EKGs for health/life insurance providers, prisons, fixed wing air medical, factory safety officers, so this is not out of the realm of possiblity.

[DwayneEMTP]

... As far as being exposed to drug and prostitution, that is a personal choice and the answer depends on your personal morals.

Actually, sounds like much different than a normal night in the ambulance...

... The bigger issue I see is, who is going to sign off as your medical director?

Well, I assumed you! Who else would understand what an upstanding moral and ethical professional I am and trust me with their medical license in such an environment? Sheesh...obvious.

And truthfully? If I could write my own paycheck? And it's not some pig that believes he's also hiring a slave? Yeah, you can bet your ass that I would be doing what I could to figure out if I could legally take this gig. I spent much of my young life around drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity and whatnot...I've slayed my demons and believe I would be fine in such an environment. Plus, those Hollywood parties look like they rock!

I've spent the majority of my short EMS career in interesting, exotic places. I would have a really hard time passing up the opportunity to experience this one...

Plus, I'll bet I could make a friggin' fortune on the side running fluid on his hungover buddies the morning after...

Now, should they ask me to participate in causing them harm, say stand by with Narcan so that they can play the 'purposely overdose game', then all bets are off...I don't think there is enough money to get me to sell my medic soul...

Dwayne

[ERDoc]

Well, I assumed you! Who else would understand what an upstanding moral and ethical professional I am and trust me with their medical license in such an environment? Sheesh...obvious.

And truthfully? If I could write my own paycheck?

No problem. I will also be more than happy to sign the paycheck for you too. I'll sign it and you fill in whatever you think is appropriate.