Duty of care must continue until proper endorsement and waiver signing concerning the patient’s approval for termination has been acknowledged by the concerned institutional bodies. HIV and patients with infectious diseases require continuous care regimen due to the complexities of their condition. In addition, health care provider must also consider the probable emotional and psychological impact of termination to the patient; since, termination may sometimes result to feelings of neglect and abandonment despite of the institution and provider’s adherence to the proper procedures of termination.
Before resorting to termination of care, it is recommended to first initiate negotiations for restructuring or exploration of the patient’s feelings over termination of relationship or care regimen provided by the assigned provider. If termination of care becomes detrimental to the care of the patient, the provider must consider further assessment of possible interventions aimed at therapeutically resolving the patient’s problematic behaviors without involving personal matters from any side of the relationship.
The controversy of patient-provider termination has also been confronted by the issue of breaching the contract established during the endorsement of care and setting of patient-provider relationship. Rothestein, Brody and McCullough et al. (2001) mention that the health care providers are expected to have attain significant knowledge on the patient’s case prior to receiving of endorsement (p. 621).
Granted the knowledge of the health care provider in the case of the patient and availability of protective equipments in aid to rendering of care, the health care provider should not have any personal excuse of terminating patient care relationship unless provoked by the patient in any offending ways possible (Mason, 2004 p. 137). Therefore, termination of patient-provider relationship must be due to reasons related to the grounds of the patients, such as non-compliant behavior, abusive actions, etc.
Under these considerations, the health care provider who agreed to receive the patient during endorsement but in the process fails to deliver quality care, shows reluctance in dealing with the patient, fails in adhering to infection control guidelines, and manifests signs of incompliance is not only breaching the principle of duty to care but also breach in the professional conduct of competence. Nevertheless, terminating provider-relationship under this condition can still be considered appropriate; since, forcing the continuity of the care process may only be detrimental to both parties involved.
However, such act is considered as a violation to the ethical and professional guidelines of providing care to patients with infectious conditions punishable according to the institutional guidelines. However, if the termination of care is due to the patient’s will and outside the activities of the involved health care provider, institution must provide appropriate endorsement approved by the patient.