Strategies and Best Practices for Terminating the Physician-Patient Relationship

Strategies and Best Practices for Terminating the Physician-Patient Relationship is organized by Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS).

Original Release Date: 03/19/2021
Termination Date: 03/19/2024

Intended Audience:
health care leaders, physicians, residents, other health care professionals and students in all health care professions.

Course Overview
When a physician believes that he or she can no longer work effectively for the benefit of a particular patient, the physician is often left wondering what to do and how to go about dissolving the doctor-patient relationship in such a way that the patient will not be harmed, and the physician will be protected from liability.  The course will explore how to legally and ethically terminate the doctor-patient relationship, while adhering to certain safeguards.

Course Objectives:
• Cite situations that warrant termination of the doctor-patient relationship. 
• Communicate appropriate information to the patient prior to termination.
• Explore potential patient-termination scenarios which require additional steps to terminate the relationship properly.