The physician who puts the physician-patient relationship at risk also puts his or her relationship with the Board in jeopardy. The North Carolina Medical Board licenses physicians as a part of regulating the practice of medicine in this state. Receiving a license to practice medicine grants the physician privileges and imposes great responsibilities. The people of North Carolina expect a licensed physician to be competent and worthy of their trust. As patients, they come to the physician in a vulnerable condition, believing the physician has knowledge and skill that will be used for their benefit.
Patient trust is fundamental to the relationship thus established.
The Board recognizes the physician's right to choose patients and to terminate the professional relationship with them when he or she believes it is best to do so. That being understood, the Board maintains that termination of the physician-patient relationship must be done in compliance with the physician's obligation to support continuity of care for the patient. The decision to terminate the relationship must be made by the physician personally. Should the physician be a member of a group, the notice of termination must state clearly whether the termination involves only the individual physician or includes other members of the group. In the latter case, those members of the group joining in the termination must be designated.