Can a doctor refuse a patient?

In the United States, physicians are generally required to provide care to patients within their scope of practice and cannot legally refuse care based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. However, there are certain circumstances where a doctor may refuse to treat a patient. These can include: 1. Capacity Issues: If a doctor's practice is full and they cannot accept new patients, they may refuse to take on additional patients. 2. Scope of Practice: A doctor may refuse to treat a patient if the treatment required is outside of their area of expertise or if they do not have the necessary equipment or resources. 3. Professional Relationship: If a doctor feels that a professional relationship cannot be maintained, they may terminate the relationship. This could be due to issues such as non-compliance with treatment, disruptive behavior, or if the doctor feels their personal safety is at risk. 4. Ethical Concerns: A doctor may refuse to provide treatment that they believe is not in the best interest of the patient or that goes against their ethical or moral beliefs. It's important to note that the process for terminating a patient-doctor relationship should be done professionally and in accordance with the law, which may include providing a certain amount of notice and ensuring the patient has access to alternative care.

Refusing to Treat Patients. Physicians do not have unlimited discretion to refuse to accept a person as a new patient. Because much of medicine is involved with federal regulations, physicians cannot refuse to accept a person for ethnic, racial, or religious reasons. ... Some physicians refuse to treat attorneys.