How do you deal with "problem patients" a.k.a "litigious patients?"

[Iridionprime]

At the back of my mind I always remember that if there's anything I hate about dentistry, it's some of the people you have to deal with and whether or not this is even the job for me. What advice would you offer to a dentist dealing with an extremely irritating and unlikeable person. Someone who walks into a dental clinic as if they were King Louis himself. Would it be possible to sever connections with such a patient through formal writing without incurring any lawsuits? I live in a dense urban area and this city is full of entitlement hounds so it's pretty scary going into the medical/dental field.... Thanks in advance. (Oh and this is all hypothetical btw; I'm not a dentist yet).

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[yappy]

I've had multiple dentists tell me of times when they've had to terminate their dentist-patient relationship with "problem" patients. Just make sure you're doing it a legally upstanding way and you should be okay. This will increase your chances of winning/settling a case; but, as the saying goes "anyone can sue for anything".

 

[Iridionprime]

Thanks this has been one of my biggest fears of going into dentistry. Knowing that I could reasonably end a bad "relationship" with a patient is a breath of relief.

 

[bsp1013]

Send letter saying you don't have compatible views regarding dental care, will be available for 30 days for emergency care, we can provide a list of other providers>See ya never.

 

[Localnative]

At the back of my mind I always remember that if there's anything I hate about dentistry, it's some of the people you have to deal with and whether or not this is even the job for me. What advice would you offer to a dentist dealing with an extremely irritating and unlikeable person. Someone who walks into a dental clinic as if they were King Louis himself. Would it be possible to sever connections with such a patient through formal writing without incurring any lawsuits? I live in a dense urban area and this city is full of entitlement hounds so it's pretty scary going into the medical/dental field.... Thanks in advance. (Oh and this is all hypothetical btw; I'm not a dentist yet).

a wise old curmudgeonly doc once told me " (raspy voice) if you haven't been sued at least a few times in your life then you haven't seen enough patients"
-document EVERY exchange/appt whether its a phone call, a brief office visit, etc
-make sure your informed consents are foolproof - FORTRESS/OMSNIC websites have tried and true consent forms
-if you wish to part ways with an insanely difficult patient, be diplomatic in your execution of the letter... "Clinically I have reached a plateau in your care and given the level of difficulty of your case I am referring you out to a doctor more skilled and seasoned than myself" or something of that nature. Also provide an appropriate period of follow up until that patient is under the care of another doc.
in this day and age of frivolous suits there is a possibility you will be involved in at least some sort of pre-suit. on every corner there is a lawyer hungry for that 1m/3m or 2m/6m limit on your liability insurance. ... everyone's gotta eat unfortunately.