Recorded at the 2026 Massachusetts ACEP Annual Meeting, this episode of ACEP Frontline features Dr. Ryan Stanton in conversation with Dr. Alice Bukhman on the unique challenges of caring for patients in custody. Emergency physicians frequently care for individuals who arrive under law enforcement supervision, creating situations where patient rights, medical ethics, safety, and legal considerations can intersect in complex ways. Dr. Bukhman discusses the physician's primary obligation to the patient, regardless of custodial status, while exploring practical issues including privacy, informed consent, decision-making capacity, restraints, interactions with law enforcement, and requests for medical clearance or forensic information. The conversation also addresses strategies for navigating difficult encounters, protecting the therapeutic relationship, and ensuring that medical decisions remain grounded in the patient's best interests. Whether you practice in a busy urban trauma center or a rural emergency department, this episode provides practical guidance for managing some of the most nuanced and challenging situations emergency physicians encounter while reinforcing the principles that define patient-centered emergency care.

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ACEP26