---
title: "Termination of the Physician-Patient Relationship: Breaking Up is Hard to Do"
description: Withdrawing from a patient relationship can be done appropriately and ethically in a variety of circumstances.
image: https://files.norcal-group.com/hubfs/NORCAL_Claims-RX_Apr-SE-2020_cover.jpg
---

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# [***CLAIMS Rx*** DIRECTORY](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx)

## RISK MANAGEMENT PUBLICATION

# Termination of the Physician-Patient Relationship: Breaking Up is Hard to Do

April 2020

Withdrawing from a patient relationship can be done appropriately and ethically in a variety of circumstances. If you don’t terminate the physician-patient relationship in an appropriate manner, you may be liable for patient abandonment. One must ensure patients are given an appropriate period of time to find a new provider. What constitutes an appropriate time period for termination can depend on specialty, practice location, patient condition, third-party payer agreement, state statutes, medical ethics, and various other factors. To highlight the various scenarios that can lead to abandonment claims, this Claims Rx presents brief case studies from a variety of sources, including NORCAL Group closed claims files and risk management specialists’ reports, appellate court opinions, and medical journal case reports.

| **CASE ONE** An Average Case of Non-Compliance **CASE TWO** Behavioral Health **CASE THREE** Chronic Pain/Addiction **CASE FOUR** Immediate Termination | **CASE FIVE** Terminating When Securing Alternative Care Will Be Difficult **CASE SIX** Abandonment during Coverage Inadequacies **SPECIAL FEATURE** Abandonment at Retirement |
| --- | --- |

 

**Related Topics:** [Opioids](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/opioids), [Primary Care](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/primary-care), [Medication Management](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/medication-management), [Difficult Patient](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/difficult-patient), [Termination](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/termination), [Ob-gyn](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/ob-gyn), [Cancer](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/cancer), [Continuity of Care](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/continuity-of-care)

termination,non-adherence,non-adherence,non-compliance,abandonment,withdrawing from care,withdrawal from care,difficult patient,termination of treatment,therapeutic alliance,refusal of treatment,patient dismissal,addiction,pain,behavioral health,pain medication agreement,immediate termination,violent patients, inadequate coverage arrangement,retirement

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