Legal issues when a doctor's relationship with a "difficult" patient breaks down.

Med J Aust · 2014

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Abstract

The legal duties of a doctor attending a "difficult" patient with a serious condition do not end at the last consultation, especially in a small rural community. Doctors have a continuing obligation to ensure that the patient's health is not impaired because the clinical relationship has ended. This article suggests some steps that a doctor could take to fulfil the legal obligation in such a case.