Under what circumstances cannot a doctor terminate the doctor-patient relationship?

A doctor cannot terminate the doctor-patient relationship when they are the only available physician, as doing so would leave the patient without access to necessary medical care. In such a situation, the doctor has an ethical obligation to provide continuity of care, especially for patients who may be in need of consistent treatment. This is particularly important in cases where a patient has ongoing medical issues that require attention.

In this context, the other scenarios described do not carry the same level of urgency or ethical responsibility. For example, if a patient is under ongoing treatment, the doctor typically has a professional duty to conclude any ongoing therapies appropriately, rather than abruptly ending the relationship. Similarly, in situations where emergency treatment is required, the principle of providing care may not necessarily mean that the doctor cannot discontinue the relationship—rather, they must respond to the immediate needs of the patient first. Lastly, a doctor moving to another state can manage the transition of care through referrals or hand-offs to other practitioners, therefore providing an opportunity for ethical termination of the relationship. Thus, the unique obligations presented when the doctor is the only available provider reinforce why the answer is centered around that scenario.