Avoiding Charges of Patient Abandonment, Terminating the Doctor/Patient Relationship Lawfully and Ethically

Course overview

Define patient abandonment and identify its four required legal elements. Describe how express or implied doctor-patient relationships form, even without written contracts or compensation. Identify legitimate grounds for declining or terminating patient care while avoiding discriminatory reasons. Apply formal termination procedures, including documentation and office policies on missed appointments and non-payment. Evaluate substitute providers' credentials and recognize the limitations of answering machines and technology in patient coverage. Explain the fiduciary nature of the doctor-patient relationship and the requirements of informed consent and standards of care. Analyze a doctor's duty to continue treatment and the consequences of withdrawing care at a critical stage. Differentiate informal curbside consultations from situations that create a doctor-patient relationship and abandonment liability.