Cognitively impaired older drivers, risk assessment, and physician responsibility.

摘要

In their article on Care of the Aging Patient, Drs Carr and Ott1 discussed the older driver with cognitive impairment. This was also addressed in a Commentary by Dr Eby and Ms Molnar.2 The focus on the dangers of these drivers may have simplified too far a very complex subject. Their analysis of the physician's legal and ethical obligations did not mention the physician's responsibility to the well-being of the patient, which will in many cases undergo a drastic deterioration if the patient's license is revoked. The word "confidentiality," or any reference to this duty of physicians to their patients, did not appear in the article, which discussed the question of reporting patients to government authorities.