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Live Webinar

Leaving Against Therapeutic (or Medical) Advice: Ethical Issues and Contributing Factors

Bill Anderson, LCSW
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Information

Date & Time

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Analyze the factors associated with leaving against medical advice and examine the statistical trends related to its occurrence in healthcare settings.

  • Identify and explain the key ethical principles involved, including autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice.

  • Implement strategies that may reduce the incidence of leaving against therapeutic advice while respecting patient rights.

Educational Goal

Leaving Against Medical Advice (AMA) is a critical intersection where clinical safety, legal liability, and patient rights collide. It is rarely a simple "disagreement"; rather, it is often a symptom of a breakdown in the therapeutic alliance. To navigate this complexity, healthcare professionals and patients alike must understand the ethical pillars and practical steps involved.

Description

Leaving Against Therapeutic Advice (often called Leaving Against Medical Advice, or AMA) occurs when a patient chooses to leave a healthcare facility before the treating clinician recommends discharge. This situation presents complex ethical challenges and reflects broader systemic, social, and interpersonal problems within healthcare delivery.

Leaving Against Therapeutic Advice is not merely an individual patient choice but a multifaceted ethical and systemic challenge. While patient autonomy must be respected, healthcare providers have an ethical responsibility to ensure informed decision-making, effective communication, and compassionate care. Addressing the underlying social, economic, and institutional factors—along with strengthening patient-provider relationships—can help reduce the incidence of leaving against advice and improve overall health outcomes.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Bill Anderson, LCSW
As a seasoned Senior Executive with over 30 years of experience and passion for working in mental health, Bill Anderson, LCSW, has achieved great success in building leadership teams. He has a proven track record of creating a vision, marshaling staff, and moving forward with that vision while keeping intact the culture of the organization. Bill has years of experience in recruiting and retaining key members of leadership whose mission aligns itself with the organization. He has been able to create dynamic leadership teams in large and small organizations to achieve solid results in revenue growth and expense reduction. These teams have been able to increase clinical care, client engagement, client safety, and operational excellence.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Promises Behavioral Health