Is there a proper way to terminate the doctor-patient relationship?
The physician/patient relationship is a consensual one, a contract. This contract, however, is usually not a written document setting forth the terms, rights, and responsibilities of the parties. Rather, the contract is implied: The patient requests medical care and the physician agrees to provide it. The contract thus created is one based on a fiduciary, not a financial, relationship. Once the relationship is created, the physician is under an obligation to provide services as long as the patient requires them or until the relationship is properly terminated. (Failure to pay a bill does not end the relationship.) A physician cannot withdraw from a case or discontinue practicing without notifying the patient of the withdrawal. The physician must provide reasonable notice so that the patient may secure other medical attention if desired. In Maryland, the BPQA considers two to three weeks “sufficient notice.” To minimize liability exposure and to facilitate termination of the physician/p
