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Dr. Vladimir
Klebanov

Dr. Vladimir Klebanov - Acquitted of any Wrongdoing in Malpractice Case

Standards of Care in Psychiatry

An [anchor]Order for Judgment[/anchor] by the New Jersey Superior Court acquitted Dr. Klebanov of any wrongdoing in the matter of Marshall v. Klebanov, M.D. In other words, Dr. Klebanov was found not guilty of any act of malpractice in the unfortunate case of a patient who committed suicide in 2000. In such a case, the suing party must show that the doctor acted either callously or lacked interest in the welfare of the patient. In under 30 minutes, the jury concluded that Dr. Klebanov had not performed any action that differed at all from proper standards of psychiatric care

No physician takes the death of a patient lightly, and standards of care have been established to ensure that unnecessary deaths happen as infrequently as possible. Given the anguish that this tragic death caused for the family of the deceased, we felt it was appropriate to clarify the issue of constitutes the standard of care in modern psychiatry.

Standards of care are not made up of hard and fast rules, and they have evolved over time as a response to specific scenarios. In simplest terms, standards of care refer to the minimum level of care that society can expect healthcare practitioners to provide. The official definition of these standards varies from state to state, and they are drawn from case law and the statutes of the jurisdiction.

Regardless, many psychiatrists uphold a practical standard of care based on currently understood best practices. Yet studies have shown that virtually all of these standards become obsolete every four years. The reality is that standards of care continually evolve. The responsibility rests on the physician to offer the best care possible given the situation, engaging in continuing education in order to stay up to date.

That said, standards of care and best practices are not synonymous. Some overlap does exist, but best practices refer to the broader professional opinion on how to treat specific conditions, whereas standards of care simply define the treatment baseline.

Some of the standards of care most commonly upheld by courts are listed below. Any psychiatrist should provide these as a baseline, and many go far beyond these base requirements:

  • Obtain proper patient information
  • Obtain informed consent
  • Provide an appropriate diagnosis
  • Provide an appropriate course of treatment
  • Employ psychotherapeutic techniques and psychopharmacological medicines in a responsible manner
  • Make a reasonable effort to assess the risk of self-harm, violent behavior, or suicidal ideation in a patient
  • Provide care in a timely manner
  • Provide for proper medical supervision
  • Behave in a sexually appropriate manner
  • Maintain doctor-patient confidentiality

Dr. Vladimir Klebanov, a psychiatrist with private practices in New York and New Jersey, possesses over 20 years of experience in the field.


Dr. Vladimir Klebanov's Schools

Dr. Vladimir Klebanov's Companies

  		•  Private Practice 1989
    Psychiatrist
    Clinical Population - Young adults to geriatrics Most Common Disorders dealt with: Affective Disorder: Depression, Bipolar Disorder: Anxiety Disorders: Panic Disorders, Phobias, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post Truamatic Stress Disorder; Adjustment Disorder; Sex Disorder Personality Disorder: Borderline Personality Disorders Chemical Dependency and Psychotiv Disorder, ADHD Succesfullyapplied the following techniques learned during residency, training, fellowship and a variety of CME course Biological (medication management), Behavior Therapy Relaxation and desensitization technique, cognitive-support Therapy and Brief focus Oriented Therapy

Dr. Vladimir Klebanov's Publications

  • What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?, Dr. Vladimir Klebanov
    February, 2011
    by Dr. Vladimir Klebanov

    In my career as a psychiatrist, I have seen many patients suffering from anxiety disorders. One common type of anxiety disorder is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), characterized by non-specific, long-lasting feelings of worry or fearfulness.

    As with many of the mood disorders, GAD can be triggered by a combination of environmental factors and chemical imbalances. Individuals with GAD worry constantly about both major and minor issues. Typical concerns include punctuality, the well-being of loved ones, and natural disasters. These individuals also often display fatigue, restlessness, and irritability. Other symptoms include muscle tension, sleep disturbances and difficulty concentrating.

    GAD can appear at any age, although it frequently manifests itself in the childhood years. A period of intense stress or difficulty may trigger the onset of the disorder, but this is not a prerequisite. Factors that increase the risk of developing GAD include childhood trauma, chronic health conditions, drug or alcohol abuse, and genetic predisposition. In addition, GAD is significantly more common among women than men, for unknown reasons.

    Medical treatments for GAD include sedatives, anxiolytics (anti-anxiety drugs), and anti-depressants. Commonly prescribed drugs include Klonapin, Xanax,Valium, Buspirone, Zoloft, Effexor and other antidepressants. In addition, patients with GAD often benefit from psychotherapeutic interventions, including cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation training, and stress counseling.

    Lifestyle changes also play a role in managing GAD. Daily exercise, healthy eating, and getting enough sleep have all been shown to positively affect GAD.

  • Factors in Assessing Suicide Risk, by Dr. Vladimir Klebanov, Factors in Assessing Suicide Risk, by Dr. Vladimir Klebanov
    October, 2011
    Factors in Assessing Suicide Risk, by Dr. Vladimir Klebanov

    In 2008, I was [anchor]acquitted of any wrongdoing[/anchor] in the case of a former patient who committed suicide. Psychiatrists and other physicians undergo extensive training to detect the risk of suicide, and when noted, the law requires a medical professional to act. Unfortunately, sometimes patients fail to present with any visible signs, especially when seen only occasionally by their mental health professionals. Family members can help to reduce the risk of suicide by learning some of the warning signs.

    Verbal Warnings: It might seem obvious, but if a family member makes threats of suicide, they should be taken seriously. Too often, others do not know how to react to such statements and simply brush them off.

    Depression: Individuals who are clinically depressed have a risk of suicide approximately 20 times higher than the general population (Vuorilehto et al. 2006).

    Alcoholism: Many suicides involve intoxication. Sometimes all it takes to spur a weakly suicidal patient into action is a few drinks. Patients suffering from alcoholism are also more likely to commit suicide.

    Mental Illness: Although depression and alcoholism present very specific, elevated risks, most mental illnesses increase the probability of a suicide attempt.

    Presence of a Plan: Individuals with a suicide plan are much more likely to act than those with vague intentions of killing themselves. The more specific the plan, the higher the risk.

    Gender, Age, Race, Religion: Men are much more likely to successfully commit suicide than women. On the other hand, women are much more likely to attempt suicide than men. Suicide risk in both sexes increases as the patient ages, with maximum risk between 50 and 60 years of age. Native Americans have the highest suicide rate in the United States while African Americans have one of the lowest. Of the major religious groups in the country, Protestant Christians are most likely to commit suicide.

    Personality: Individuals who tend toward erratic behavior hold a higher risk of suicide, as do those who think in a black-and-white, all-or-nothing manner.

    Lack of Community: Individuals who live alone, or who perceive a lack of support or sense of belonging, are also more likely to commit suicide.

    Family History or Past Attempts: Suicide unfortunately tends to run in families. Additionally, individuals who have tried to end their lives once have a higher probability of making additional attempts.

    These factors constitute some of the most obvious warning signs for suicidal ideation. Medical researchers have identified an excess of 40 others, which a trained medical professional will evaluate in a clinical setting.

    Dr. Vladimir Klebanov has practiced psychiatry in the New York and New Jersey area for over two decades. He maintains a busy schedule, seeing patients for a wide range of mental disorders.