Question

8. At what point/when can a doctor or health care provided refuse treatment of a patient? What are the standards of practice which must be followed in such cases? Likewise, what obligations does a patient bear towards their doctor?

Answer 1

# The reasons when a doctor or healthcare provider can refuse treatment are:-

- The patient exhibits drug seeking behaviour

- The patient is disruptive or otherwise difficult to handle.

- The doctor does not have a working relationship with the patients healthcare insurance provider.

- The doctors personal convictions such as a doctor refusing to perform an abortion for religious reasons or refusing to prescribe narcotics for pain .

- The patient or the patient's spouse is a medical malpractice lawyer .

- The doctor does not treat the patient with patients specific conditions . For example - an individual suffering from throat infection cannot realistically expect a gynecologist to diagnose and treat his condition .

# The standards of practice that should be followed in such cases is that treatment refusal forms has to be filled and consents from both the sides patient and treating doctor has to be done and it has to be informed to and verified by the concerned authorities .

# Patients also have obligation towards their doctors and other health care providers that have to be followed during their hospital visit are:-

- Respect their doctor and other health care providers

- Compliance to the advices and treatment prescribed by the doctor .

- Following the rules and regulations of the hospital like :-

Wearing hospital clothes

Meeting the patient in visiting hours only

Keeping all the expensive ornaments and personal gadgets at home etc .

- Making the payment to the services at time .