Doctors are required to provide ongoing care once a doctor–patient relationship has been established.
Suppose your condition requires follow-up. If your doctor doesn’t take the necessary steps, they may be liable for medical malpractice if their lack of care causes injury or death.
Examples of things that could be construed as failure-to-follow-up medical malpractice include:
Not reporting your lab or test results (especially if the results mean that you need to take action to prevent your condition from worsening)
Not scheduling a follow-up visit after a procedure
Not checking with you to ensure you’re following your treatment plan
Not calling you if you don’t show up for an appointment