ENTtoday
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • Practice Focus
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Departments
    • Issue Archive
    • TRIO Best Practices
      • Allergy
      • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
      • Head and Neck
      • Laryngology
      • Otology/Neurotology
      • Pediatric
      • Rhinology
      • Sleep Medicine
    • Career Development
    • Case of the Month
    • Everyday Ethics
    • Health Policy
    • Legal Matters
    • Letter From the Editor
    • Medical Education
    • Online Exclusives
    • Practice Management
    • Resident Focus
    • Rx: Wellness
    • Special Reports
    • Tech Talk
    • Viewpoint
    • What’s Your O.R. Playlist?
  • Literature Reviews
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Events
    • Featured Events
    • TRIO Meetings
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Triological Society
    • Advertising Staff
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Place an Ad
    • Classifieds
    • Rate Card
  • Search

Terminating the Physician-Patient Relationship

by Steven M. Harris, Esq. • January 1, 2013

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version

What can a physician do when maintaining the physician-patient relationship is no longer in the best interest of either the physician or the patient? While this is a common concern of physicians, there is a simple solution: Terminate the relationship. The ethics of the medical profession define the physician–patient relationship as one in which the doctor accepts ongoing responsibility for the patient’s medical care. Unfortunately, there will be some physician–patient relationships that, for whatever reason, simply do not work, and therefore it is in the best interest of the patient to terminate the relationship.

You Might Also Like

  • How Electronic Health Records Impact Physician–Patient Relationship
  • Putting the Physician-Patient Relationship First
  • How to Appropriately Discharge a Patient
  • Interplay Between Physician Employment Agreements, Medical Staff Bylaws Should Not be Ignored
Explore This Issue
January 2013

In general, a physician may legally and ethically decide not to continue treating a patient as long as the patient is not in need of immediate care and has been given a reasonable opportunity to find another provider. However, it is advisable that a letter be sent to the patient indicating that the physician-patient “contract” has been terminated. This letter should be drafted by a health care attorney so as to avoid potential legal pitfalls for the physician and the medical practice.

Grounds for Terminating the Physician-Patient Relationship

A successful physician–patient relationship must be based on mutual trust and effective communication. When these elements break down, it is likely in both parties’ interests to terminate the relationship. Common reasons for terminating the physician-patient relationship include:

Steven M. Harris, Esq.“The responsibility for ending the relationship rests with the physician and should not be delegated to an office staff member.”
  • The patient fails to pay his/her bills.
  • The patient continually cancels or misses appointments.
  • The patient is rude, disruptive, uses improper language, exhibits violent behavior or threatens the safety of the office staff or other patients.
  • The office staff is uncomfortable working with or communicating with the patient.
  • The patient is dissatisfied with the care he/she received from the physician.
  • The patient requires more highly specialized services than the physician can provide.
  • There is a conflict of interest between the patient and the physician (e.g., the physician’s religious beliefs preclude him/her from providing certain treatment options, or the physician has a personal or financial interest in the treatment option).
  • The patient is habitually uncooperative and refuses to comply with the treatment plan.
  • The patient fails to complete a series of treatments.
  • The patient is unreasonably demanding.
  • The patient did not provide an honest medical history or was misleading in the information he/she provided, thereby compromising the efficacy of treatment.
  • The patient develops a personal interest in the physician. Examples include excessive contact with the physician, demanding the physician’s time in the absence of a legitimate or urgent medical need or becoming angry or unreasonable when the physician is unavailable.
  • The physician develops a personal interest in the patient. Examples include consultations that involved discussion of information not relevant to the patient’s treatment (e.g., details about the physician’s personal life), the physician becomes attracted to the patient or the physician acted in a manner that would be deemed inappropriate by his/her colleagues.
  • The patient filed a complaint or initiated a legal proceeding against the physician.

Steps to Terminating the Relationship and the Letter to the Patient

One of the most difficult problems for a physician is finding the most appropriate way to terminate the physician–patient relationship. The responsibility for ending the relationship rests with the physician and should not be delegated to an office staff member. Here are several steps for physicians to follow when terminating the relationship with a patient:

Pages: 1 2 3 | Single Page

Filed Under: Departments, Legal Matters Tagged With: patient communicationIssue: January 2013

You Might Also Like:

  • How Electronic Health Records Impact Physician–Patient Relationship
  • Putting the Physician-Patient Relationship First
  • How to Appropriately Discharge a Patient
  • Interplay Between Physician Employment Agreements, Medical Staff Bylaws Should Not be Ignored

The Triological SocietyENTtoday is a publication of The Triological Society.

The Laryngoscope
Ensure you have all the latest research at your fingertips; Subscribe to The Laryngoscope today!

Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Open access journal in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery is currently accepting submissions.

Classifieds

View the classified ads »

TRIO Best Practices

View the TRIO Best Practices »

Top Articles for Residents

  • Do Training Programs Give Otolaryngology Residents the Necessary Tools to Do Productive Research?
  • Why More MDs, Medical Residents Are Choosing to Pursue Additional Academic Degrees
  • What Physicians Need to Know about Investing Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
  • Tips to Help You Regain Your Sense of Self
  • Should USMLE Step 1 Change from Numeric Score to Pass/Fail?
  • Popular this Week
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • Experts Delve into Treatment Options for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
    • Otolaryngologists Have a Major Role to Play in Treating COVID-19 Long-Haulers
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • New Developments in the Management of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Eustachian Tuboplasty: A Potential New Option for Chronic Tube Dysfunction and Patulous Disease
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Podcasts Becoming More Popular Method of Education for Otolaryngologists
    • How to Embrace Optimism in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic
    • Tips on How to Approach Conversations with Patients about the COVID-19 Vaccine
    • Steps You Should Take to Protect Your Voice and Hearing During Telemedicine Sessions
    • Routine Postoperative Adjunct Treatments Unnecessary for Idiopathic Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks

Polls

Have you spoken with your patients about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Visit: The Triological Society • The Laryngoscope • Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology

Wiley
© 2021 The Triological Society. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN 1559-4939

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.