Activity ID
4645Expires
March 8, 2026Format Type
InternetCME Credit
1.5Fee
$215CME Provider: Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Company (LAMMICO)
Description of CME Course
A patient can end his or her relationship with a physician instantaneously, but physicians do not have the same option. Their professional responsibility to an established patient requires them to continue to provide care to the best of their ability. However, a physician who feels he or she can no longer effectively care for a patient can usually end the relationship by taking specific steps. These steps—including informing the patient and remaining available to treat the patient for emergency care for a defined time—will allow for continuity in the person’s care. Carrying out the steps will also help the physician to appropriately manage risks associated with dismissing a patient.
ABMS Member Board Approvals by Type
ABMS Lifelong Learning CME Activity
Allergy and Immunology
Anesthesiology
Family Medicine
Medical Genetics and Genomics
Nuclear Medicine
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Preventive Medicine
Psychiatry and Neurology
Radiology
Thoracic Surgery
Urology
Commercial Support?
NoNOTE: If a Member Board has not deemed this activity for MOC approval as an accredited CME activity, this activity may count toward an ABMS Member Board’s general CME requirement. Please refer directly to your Member Board’s MOC Part II Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment Program Requirements.
Educational Objectives
1. Discuss the main professional liability risks associated with dismissing a patient.
2. Describe appropriate reasons for a physician’s dismissal of a patient.
3. List and explain appropriate steps to take when dismissing a patient.
4. Discuss situations in which patient dismissal is complex and nuanced, and give recommendations for best practices in such circumstances.
Keywords
MD-Patient Relationship, Patient Noncompliance, professional responsibility, patient dismissal
Competencies
Interpersonal & Communication Skills, Practice-based Learning & Improvement, Systems-based Practice
CME Credit Type
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit
Practice Setting
Academic Medicine, Outpatient, Physician Executives, Rural, Urban, VA/Military
