Family practice doctors can treat many health problems, but they cannot do everything. These doctors have important rules they must follow to keep patients safe and protect their medical licenses. They cannot treat their own family members, perform major surgeries, or prescribe certain medicines without special training.
In this article, you’ll learn about the key things family doctors are not allowed to do. We’ll explain why these rules exist and how they help protect you and your loved ones.
Why Family Doctors Have Limits
Family practice doctors go through years of training. They learn about many different health problems. But even with all this knowledge, they still have boundaries.
These limits keep patients safe and make sure doctors follow the law. Medical rules protect both patients and doctors. They help make sure everyone gets the right care from the right person.
Think of it like this: a family doctor is like a jack-of-all-trades. They know a lot about many things. But sometimes, you need a specialist who knows everything about one specific thing.
They Cannot Treat Their Own Family Members
This is one of the biggest rules in medicine. Family doctors should not treat themselves or their close family members, except in emergencies.
Why This Rule Exists
When a doctor treats a family member, their personal feelings can get in the way of good medical care. They might:
- Miss important symptoms because they’re too close to the situation
- Feel uncomfortable asking private questions
- Have trouble doing physical exams
- Order tests or treatments that aren’t really needed
- Wait too long to send their family member to a specialist
Imagine trying to give your own child a shot. Your emotions might make it harder to do the job right. The same thing happens when doctors treat family.
What About Emergencies?
In emergencies, when no other doctor is available, family doctors can help their loved ones. If someone is hurt and needs help right away, a family doctor shouldn’t wait. They should provide care until another doctor can take over.
But even then, they need to:
- Get another doctor involved as soon as possible
- Write down all the care they provided
- Tell the person’s regular doctor what happened
Real Problems That Happen
One doctor prescribed pain medicine to his wife without checking her full medical records. He didn’t realize she was getting too much medicine, and she became addicted. Another doctor waited too long to send his mother to a specialist, and her condition got worse.
These stories show why the rule is so important. Love and worry can cloud a doctor’s judgment.
They Cannot Prescribe Certain Medicines to Family
Except in emergencies, doctors should not write prescriptions for controlled substances for themselves or their close family members.
Controlled substances are medicines that can be addictive or harmful if not used correctly. They include:
- Strong pain medicines (like opioids)
- Anxiety medicines (like Xanax)
- Sleep medicines (like Ambien)
- ADHD medicines (like Adderall)
DEA Rules for All Controlled Substances
All doctors who prescribe controlled substances must register with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). They must follow strict rules about:
- Keeping records of all prescriptions
- Storing medicines safely
- Completing special training about substance use disorders and safe prescribing
- Checking state prescription databases before prescribing
- Writing prescriptions correctly with all required information
Doctors can only prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical reasons in the normal course of their practice. This means they can’t prescribe these medicines to friends or family just because it’s convenient.
They Cannot Do Major Surgeries
Family doctors learn basic procedures in training, but they cannot perform major surgeries or complex operations.
What Procedures They Can Do
Family doctors can handle minor procedures in their office, such as:
- Removing small skin growths or moles
- Stitching small cuts
- Draining abscesses (infected bumps)
- Joint injections for pain
- Simple biopsies
- Treating ingrown toenails
Some family doctors get extra training to do more procedures, like vasectomies or colonoscopies. But this requires special certification and ongoing practice.
What They Must Refer Out
Major surgeries, complex surgical procedures, and specialized operations are outside their training. Family doctors must send patients to surgeons for things like:
- Heart surgery
- Brain surgery
- Organ transplants
- Joint replacements
- Cancer surgery
- Complex fractures
- Eye surgery (beyond basic eye care)
If you need one of these procedures, your family doctor will help you find the right surgeon. They’ll coordinate your care and stay involved in your recovery.
Their Scope of Practice Is Limited
Every medical specialty has a “scope of practice.” This is a fancy way of saying what they’re legally allowed to do. Family doctors have a broad scope, but it’s not unlimited.
What Affects Scope of Practice
Several things determine what a family doctor can and cannot do:
State Laws: Each state has different rules about what family doctors can do. What’s allowed in one state might not be allowed in another.
Hospital Rules: Hospital medical staff rules may limit what family doctors can do in that hospital. Some hospitals let family doctors deliver babies. Others require an OB-GYN.
Training and Experience: Each family doctor tailors their practice to their interests, training, and comfort level. Not all family doctors do the same things, even in the same town.
Insurance Coverage: What insurance companies will pay for also limits what family doctors can do. If insurance won’t cover it, many patients can’t afford it.
The Scope Is Changing
Research shows that family medicine as a whole is doing more things, but individual family doctors are doing fewer different things. This happens because:
- Medicine keeps getting more complex
- There are more specialists available
- Doctors worry about malpractice lawsuits
- It’s hard to stay skilled at everything
Many family doctors now focus on what they do best and refer other things to specialists. This isn’t bad – it means you’re getting care from people who are really good at what they do.
They Cannot Practice Without Proper Licensing
Every family doctor must have:
- A medical degree from an approved school
- Completion of a family medicine residency program
- A valid state medical license
- Board certification (highly recommended)
- DEA registration (to prescribe controlled substances)
Continuing Education Requirements
To keep their license, family doctors must complete at least 50 hours of continuing medical education (CME) every year. This helps them:
- Stay up-to-date on new treatments
- Learn about new medicines
- Understand changes in medical guidelines
- Maintain their skills
Think of it like software updates for your phone. Doctors need regular updates too, to make sure they know the latest and best ways to help patients.
What Happens If They Break the Rules?
Doctors who break professional rules can have their license suspended, limited, or even taken away. State medical boards investigate complaints and can:
- Require extra supervision
- Limit what procedures they can do
- Require more training
- Put them on probation
- Take away their license completely
They Cannot Guarantee Outcomes
This might surprise you, but doctors cannot promise that a treatment will work. Medicine isn’t perfect. Every person’s body is different.
What family doctors can do is:
- Explain your options clearly
- Tell you the risks and benefits
- Give you their best professional opinion
- Follow you closely to see how treatment is working
- Change the plan if needed
But they cannot promise you’ll get better or that you won’t have side effects. Anyone who promises perfect results isn’t being honest.
They Cannot Practice Outside Their Area of Training
Doctors may be inclined to treat problems that are beyond their expertise or training when treating family members, but this violates ethical standards.
Why Specialization Matters
Imagine you have a problem with your heart. Your family doctor knows the basics about hearts. But a cardiologist (heart specialist) spent extra years studying only hearts. They see heart problems all day, every day.
Your family doctor knows when a heart problem is too complex for them. They’ll send you to the specialist who can help you best. This is good medicine, not a sign of weakness.
When to See a Specialist
Your family doctor should refer you to a specialist when:
- Your condition isn’t getting better with usual treatment
- You need a procedure they don’t do
- The diagnosis is unclear
- You have a rare condition
- The problem is very complex
But here’s the good news: your family doctor stays your main doctor. They coordinate everything and make sure all your specialists are working together. Think of them as the quarterback of your healthcare team.
They Cannot Skip Informed Consent
Informed consent is fundamental in both ethics and law. This means your family doctor must:
- Explain your condition in words you understand
- Tell you about all reasonable treatment options
- Explain the risks and benefits of each option
- Answer your questions honestly
- Let you choose what you want to do
They cannot:
- Force you to accept treatment
- Trick you into a procedure
- Hide important information
- Make decisions without talking to you first
You’re always in charge of your own healthcare. Your doctor guides you, but you make the final decisions.
They Cannot Provide Care Without Documentation
Any treatment provided in usual patient care settings must be documented in the same manner as with any other patient.
Good medical records protect both you and your doctor. They help:
- Other doctors understand your history
- Prevent dangerous drug interactions
- Track what treatments work for you
- Provide legal protection if questions arise
Your family doctor must keep records of:
- Your medical history
- Exam findings
- Test results
- Diagnoses
- Treatment plans
- Prescriptions
- Follow-up care
These records are private and protected by law. But they must exist and be accurate.
They Cannot Practice Across State Lines Without Permission
In many states, doctors need to be licensed in the state where the patient is located.
This is changing with telemedicine (video visits), but rules are still strict. If your family doctor practices in Illinois, they generally cannot:
- Prescribe medicines to you if you’re in another state
- Provide ongoing care if you move out of state
- Give medical advice to people in other states
Some states have special agreements that make this easier. But in general, doctors must be licensed in each state where they practice.
Telemedicine Rules
New DEA rules for telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances require special registrations and extra safety steps. If your doctor prescribes medicines through video visits, they must:
- Follow both state and federal rules
- Check prescription monitoring databases
- Have systems to verify your identity
- Keep detailed records
Understanding the Limits Helps Everyone
These rules might seem like they make healthcare harder. But they actually help protect you. When family doctors follow these limits:
You get better care: Specialists handle complex problems. Your family doctor focuses on what they do best.
You stay safer: Rules prevent mistakes that could hurt you. They make sure doctors only do things they’re trained to do.
Doctors avoid problems: Following the rules protects doctors from losing their license or facing lawsuits.
The system works better: Everyone knows their role. Your care team works together smoothly.
Your Family Doctor Is Still Your Healthcare Home
Even with all these limits, your family doctor is still the most important person on your healthcare team. They:
- Know your complete medical history
- Understand how different conditions affect each other
- See you as a whole person, not just a diagnosis
- Coordinate all your care
- Help you make sense of what specialists tell you
- Are there for you through all life’s changes
At Yorktown Health Lisle, we understand these important boundaries while providing comprehensive primary care for patients of all ages. We work within our scope of practice to deliver excellent care and know when to refer you to specialists for problems that need extra expertise.
When to Talk to Your Doctor About Limits
You should ask your family doctor about their limitations when:
- They recommend seeing a specialist
- You need a procedure you’re not sure they do
- You’re wondering if they can help with a specific problem
- You want to understand why they’re referring you elsewhere
- You have questions about their training or experience
Good doctors are honest about what they can and cannot do. They won’t pretend to know everything. They’ll tell you when someone else is better suited to help you.
Final Thoughts
Family practice doctors are highly trained professionals who can help with many health problems. But they do have important limits that protect both patients and doctors.
They cannot treat their own family members (except in emergencies), perform major surgeries, or prescribe certain medicines without following strict rules. Their scope of practice is defined by state laws, hospital policies, and their own training. They must maintain their license through continuing education and follow all professional guidelines.
Understanding what your family doctor cannot do helps you appreciate what they can do. They serve as your healthcare coordinator, making sure you get the right care from the right people at the right time.
Whether you need annual physicals, chronic disease management, or help working with specialists, your family doctor is there to support your health journey while following all professional and ethical guidelines.
Remember: these limitations are not barriers to care. They’re guardrails that help make sure you receive the safest, most appropriate care possible. Your family doctor knows when to handle something themselves and when to bring in extra help. That’s what makes them so valuable.