Before stopping care for a patient, what must you ensure?

• A. Notifying the board only
• B. Giving the patient sufficient notice and/or the opportunity to seek continuing treatment with another health care practitioner
• C. Discontinuing without notice
• D. Providing a final bill

Answer: (B)

The key obligation is to ensure the patient has time and option to continue their care with another provider. Giving the patient sufficient notice and/or the opportunity to seek continuing treatment protects the patient from abrupt abandonment and supports a safe, coordinated transition. This is about patient welfare and continuity of care, not just administrative steps. Simply notifying the board or ending care without notice fails to safeguard the patient’s rights, and providing a final bill alone does not ensure ongoing treatment. In practice, you would offer a reasonable notice period, assist with referrals if needed, and arrange for the transfer of medical records to the new practitioner to support a smooth transition.