Advance Notification for Conscientious Refusal in Rural Health Care

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-28-2025

Publication Title

Annals of Family Medicine

Abstract

Clinicians have a federally protected right to conscientiously refuse to provide treatment that conflicts with their core moral or religious values. The American Medical Association affirms that, among other obligations, a physician should give advance notification "before entering into a patient-physician relationship" by making "clear any specific interventions or services the physician cannot in good conscience provide" (Opinion 1.1.7). We apply this guidance to the rural health care context by considering whether giving notification of conscientious refusals is best done in advance of, or during, the clinical encounter. We conclude that giving advance notice should be the moral default in rural contexts, but giving notice during the clinical encounter can be justified where patients are especially dependent upon their primary care physician for their overall medical care.

Volume

23

Issue

4

First Page

371

Last Page

373

ISSN

1544-1717

PubMed ID

40494621

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