Some doctors refuse to treat fat patients: Is that ethical? [View All]

May 17, 2011 12:37 PM

CBS) No fatties allowed! That seems to be the policy of some doctors in Florida - and medical ethicists are crying foul.

In a poll of 105 obstetrics-gynecology practices in South Florida, 15 said they refuse to treat even healthy patients who exceed certain weight cut-offs. Some practices set the cut-off at 200 pounds.

Why the no -fat-patients policies? Some practices said their exam tables and other equipment couldn't handle the extra load, the paper reported. Others said they avoid fat patients because they are more likely than thinner patients to develop hard-to-treat medical complications.

"People don't realize the risk we're taking by taking care of these patients," Dr. Albert Triana, whose South Miami practice declines to treat obese patients, told the paper. "There's more risk of something going wrong and more risk of getting sued. Everything is more complicated with an obese patient" when it comes to gynecological surgery or pregnancy.

More: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20063541-10391704.html

Original story (thanks to Blue_Tires)

Some ob-gyns in South Florida turn away overweight women

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-05-16/health/fl-hk-no-obesity-doc-20110516_1_ob-gyn-gyn-obese-people