Dr. Bob Newhart’s colleague Dr. Jennifer Melfi has a private practice outpatient office for individuals with anxiety disorders. Dr. Newhart discovers that Dr. Melfi decided to establish a new general psychology advice website to supplement her income. The website includes her picture and credentials. Dr. Melfi’s advice website charges credit cards for responses to email questions received. The advice website specifically states that the services are not therapy, but that a personal response will be provided to each question received, for a fee. Dr. Melfi’s private practice office website provides a link to her new advice website but she does not speak to her outpatient clients about her advice website. Using the 6 step ethical dilemma decision making model from Chapter 3 of the text book, determine if Dr. Newhart is facing an ethical dilemma regarding Dr. Melfi’s work? Is Dr. Melfi acting unethically?
Dr. Bob Newhart’s colleague Dr. Jennifer Melfi has a private practice outpatient office for individuals with anxiety disorders. Dr. Newhart discovers that Dr. Melfi…