Emergency physicians' duty to warn and protect: a critique and guidelines.

For ten years, psychotherapists in California have practiced under a court decision which imposed a duty to warn intended victims of violent crimes. Other cases extended the scope of the psychotherapists' duty to warn to an alarming degree. Although there have been no court cases involving emergency physicians, it is reasonable to assume that, under certain circumstances, the duty to warn could be extended to primary care physicians. Emergency physicians should familiarize themselves with applicable case law and should be aware of measures to use to avoid potential civil liability.