Section 160. Practitioner-client communication; termination of relationship

A. Communication with clients.

1. Except as provided in § 32.1-127.1:03 F of the Code of Virginia, a practitioner shall accurately present information to a client or his legally authorized representative in understandable terms and encourage participation in decisions regarding the client's care.

2. A practitioner shall not deliberately make a false or misleading statement regarding the practitioner's skill or the efficacy or value of a treatment or procedure provided or directed by the practitioner.

3. Before an initial assessment or intervention is performed, informed consent shall be obtained from the client or his legally authorized representative. Practitioners shall inform clients or their legally authorized representative of the risks, benefits, and alternatives of the recommended procedure that a reasonably prudent practitioner would tell a client.

a. Informed consent shall also be obtained if there is a significant change to a therapeutic procedure or intervention performed on a client that is not part of routine, general care and that is more restrictive on the continuum of care.

b. In the instance of a minor or a client who is incapable of making an informed decision on his own behalf or is incapable of communicating such a decision due to a physical or mental disorder, the legally authorized person available to give consent shall be informed and the consent documented.

c. An exception to the requirement for consent prior to performance of a procedure or intervention may be made in an emergency situation when a delay in obtaining consent would likely result in imminent harm to the client.

4. Practitioners shall adhere to requirements of § 32.1-162.18 of the Code of Virginia for obtaining informed consent from clients prior to involving them as subjects in human research with the exception of retrospective chart reviews.

B. Termination of the practitioner-client relationship.

1. The practitioner or the client may terminate the relationship. In either case, the practitioner shall make the client record available, except in situations where denial of access is allowed by law.

2. A practitioner shall not terminate the relationship or make his services unavailable without documented notice to the client that allows for a reasonable time to obtain the services of another practitioner.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 30, Issue 16, eff. May 7, 2014.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2957.16 of the Code of Virginia.