Here’s how to switch doctors without drama.
- Don’t worry about explaining why you’re leaving.
- Request your medical records pronto.
- Research new candidates thoroughly.
- Make sure your new doctor can take you on.
What are some reasons a patient can be discharged from the practice?
Determining Discharge – Patients can be removed from the practice for such reasons as requiring services of a different specialist, non-adherence with medical advice and/or patient appointments, as well as being disruptive or harassing staff.
Is patient abandonment serious?
Patient abandonment is a serious, yet often overlooked, form of medical malpractice. Generally, patient abandonment occurs when a physician terminates medical treatment without a justifiable excuse or reasonable notice so that the patient can find a replacement physician.
Can a doctor just drop you as a patient?
“From a malpractice and medical board standpoint, a physician can basically discharge a patient for any reason he wants, as long as it is nondiscriminatory and doesn’t violate [the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act] or other laws, or puts the patient’s health, safety, and welfare at risk,” says Kabler.
When can a doctor terminate a patient?
Physicians are generally free to end a physician-patient relationship without the consent of the patient, as long as it is done for a non-discriminatory reason. However, once this relationship has been established, it cannot be terminated without taking specific steps.
What happens if a doctor has a relationship with a patient?
A physician must terminate the patient-physician relationship before initiating a dating, romantic, or sexual relationship with a patient. Likewise, sexual or romantic relationships between a physician and a former patient may be unduly influenced by the previous physician-patient relationship.
