by Dr. J.D.
Abandonment occurs when a doctor cuts off the physician-patient relationship while the patient still actively needs care, and does so without adequate notice to allow the patient to get care elsewhere.
It can be the basis for a complaint to the state medical board and, if the patient can prove that he or she suffered an injury as a result, it can be the basis of a medical malpractice claim.
The proper discharge of a patient is really the rolling back of each step that formed the doctor-patient relationship:
– The patient came to you in need of care. They can only be terminated when they are not actively in need of care.
– The patient sought care with you rather than elsewhere. They can only be terminated by giving them time to find care elsewhere.
– Your conduct allowed the patient to reasonably believe that you were their doctor. They can only be terminated by you laying out clear statements that make such a belief unreasonable.
The separation does not have to be mutual – in fact, it can be entirely unilateral on your part even if the patient objects strongly – but it has to reflect the fact that medical care is a unique type of interaction because it can literally be a matter of life and death.
