Laser physician legal responsibility for physician extender treatments.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Increased demand for non-invasive cosmetic laser procedures has led to an increase in the use of physician extenders (PE). This demand has now led to a variety of medical legal concerns surrounding the use of lasers by non-physician PE. STUDY DESIGN This review looks at the evolution of the relationship between physicians and the various types of PE. The focus of the manuscript is on the variety of legal issues that may arise because of this relationship. Physicians are increasingly utilizing PE in their laser facilities leading to potential legal issues. CONCLUSIONS An understanding of these legal issues will lead to better defensive practices by both the physician and PE.