Medical abandonment may be applied to which scenario?

Medical abandonment refers to a situation where a healthcare provider terminates the physician-patient relationship without adequate notice and without making arrangements for continued care, potentially placing the patient at risk.

In the scenario where a patient is discharged with continued symptoms and later dies at home, this closely aligns with the concept of medical abandonment. The patient was not adequately cared for or not provided with the necessary continued support or follow-up that would have been essential in monitoring their condition after discharge. This lack of ongoing care, despite the patient's existing symptoms, can create liability for the healthcare provider, as the patient may have needed further attention to avoid serious harm or even death.

The other scenarios do not fit the criteria for medical abandonment as closely. Referrals to specialists suggest that appropriate steps were taken to ensure ongoing care, patient refusal of treatment indicates an understanding and acceptance of their decision, and receiving follow-up care without consent may raise issues of consent but does not relate directly to abandonment. In essence, option C demonstrates a failure to provide the necessary care after identifying a patient’s ongoing symptoms, thus potentially leading to negative outcomes and liability under the principle of medical abandonment.