"Ronald Helm" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>Is this true if there is an established relationship already, Ron? Or only
if
>a new relationship is in question?
>Doc
>
Any physician is free to notify an old patient that he no longer wishes to
be her doctor. When he breaks up the doctor/physician relationship,
however, he must be careful of numerous pitfalls. There must be no active,
on-going, medical condition which he has been actively treating. He must
document that he wishes to terminate the patient's care, usually by sending
a registered letter. He must offer suggestions for a physician of
comparable expertise to assume her care. He must offer to send copies of
all medical records to the physician of her choice. He must not blackmail
her into paying outstanding debts by withholding records etc.
So, it is difficult for a physician to sever that relationship once it
is established, but it can be done by jumping through all the hoops.
Interesting that the patient can just go elsewhere without any barriers.
The long and short of this is that many physicians are requiring patient
interviews prior to accepting non-emergency new patients. Unfortunately for
those employed by HMO's, they do not have the luxury of picking their
patients ;-(. Ron
99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
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