[Source: Health and Life Sciences Law Daily, March 24, 2008 - AHLA]
The Boston Business Journal (3/21, van der Pool) reported that "healthcare lawyers...say that in recent years they have fielded more inquiries from doctors and healthcare organizations about the best way to terminate a doctor-patient relationship." Since physicians are "under ethical and legal obligations to provide medical services for as long as the patient wants," there is "a laundry list of steps needs to be taken" in order "[f]or a doctor to cut off that relationship and not be successfully sued with an abandonment claim." First of all, there must "be a legitimate reason" for termination, "which could include everything from a patient refusing treatment and repeatedly missing appointments to threats of violence." After this, "a letter should be sent to the patient via certified mail with a detailed explanation of the termination and a note that services will be continued for 30 days, to allow the patient to find another doctor."
