Standing out in an age of health care consumerism is the challenge and the opportunity for medical practices. Creating an extraordinary patient experience could be the answer.

So many stakeholders, so much information, so many opportunities for ineffective communication — all can promote and multiply the threats to patient safety and physician liability during the patient’s transition from one setting to another.

Patient care can include after-hours telephone calls, which need to be documented by the physician.

The Medical Board of California states that in order to avoid allegations that a patient is abandoned without a resource for continued health care, it is the standard of care in the community to notify your patients in writing when you wish to discontinue care. It is important to follow these guidelines.

Employees join and depart from medical offices regularly, so the well-run medical practice has protocols in place to address such departures - whether they are voluntary or involuntary.