Taking a Chance on Patient Life: Suicidal Patients, Involuntary Admissions, and Physician Immunity in Maryland

Abstract

Maryland jurisprudence exempts from liability any physician that elects not to involuntarily admit a mentally ill patient into treatment. This article explores through both statutory and case law jurisdictional differences in the duty owed by physicians to their foreseeably suicidal patients. These findings are applied to Chance v. Bon Secours Hospital and used to advocate against expanding statutory immunity to physicians that recklessly release involuntarily admitted patients from treatment before improvements to their mental health are achieved.