Can a doctor refuse to see patient?

In general, a doctor has a duty to provide care to their patients and cannot refuse to see a patient without a legitimate medical reason. However, there are certain circumstances in which a doctor may refuse to see a patient, such as:

- Patient safety: If the doctor believes that seeing the patient would pose a risk to the patient's health or safety or the safety of others. For example, if a patient is exhibiting violent or disruptive behavior, the doctor may refuse to see the patient until they can be safely evaluated.

- Lack of payment: If the patient has not paid for previous services or has not made arrangements for payment. However, doctors must take reasonable steps to ensure that patients are able to access care, such as offering a sliding-scale payment option or referring the patient to a charity care program.

- Conflict of interest: If the doctor has a personal or financial interest that could interfere with their ability to provide objective and unbiased care to the patient. For example, a doctor should not treat a family member or a close friend, as this could create a conflict of interest.

- Scope of practice: If the patient is seeking treatment for a condition that is outside of the doctor's scope of practice or expertise. For example, a dermatologist cannot treat a patient for cancer, as cancer treatment is outside the scope of a dermatologist's training.

- Patient-doctor relationship: If the patient-doctor relationship has become strained or irreparably broken down, the doctor may have grounds to refuse to continue treating the patient. However, the doctor must make a reasonable attempt to resolve the conflict and refer the patient to another provider if necessary.

It's important to note that if a doctor does refuse to see a patient, they must provide an explanation for the refusal and refer the patient to another provider who can provide the necessary care.