In clinical practice, cases occasionally arise where patients are left unattended or appear to have been abandoned, whether during hospitalization, after emergency treatment, or during follow-up care. These situations demand careful legal and ethical handling, as abandonment without due process can attract allegations of criminal negligence. Under Indian law, including IPC Section 304A and consumer protection rulings, failure to continue care without adequate referral, discharge planning, or documentation can be construed as medical abandonment.
Clinics and hospitals have a duty to ensure that even non-paying or unaccompanied patients are not denied care abruptly or without proper steps. The Code of Medical Ethics (NMC, 2023) mandates that doctors must not neglect patients once they have undertaken their care, unless alternate arrangements are made. For patients who voluntarily leave…
