When Can Physicians Fire Patients with Opioid Use Disorder for Nonmedical Use of Prescription Medications?

J Clin Ethics. 2024 Spring;35(1):65-69. doi: 10.1086/728146.ABSTRACTAbstractThe opioid crisis has greatly increased the number of patients who are illegally injecting drugs while hospitalized for other conditions. Physicians face a difficult decision in these circumstances: when is it appropriate to involuntarily discharge or "fire" a patient with opioid use disorder for their continued nonmedical use of opioids? This commentary on a case analyzes physicians' responsibilities to their patients and argues that physicians should fire nonadherent patients only when every other option has been exhausted and the expected benefits of firing the patient outweigh the expected harms.PMID:38373328 | DOI:10.1086/728146

Source: Journal of Clinical Ethics - February 19, 2024 Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Levi Durham Source Type: research