Although many people do not immediately recognize it, many people enter into contracts each and every day. The healthcare profession in particular is loaded with contractual relationships, and healthcare administrators may see a variety of different contracts in the profession. These contracts can be simple, such as the ordering of supplies, or they may be complex, such as the merger of two large healthcare institutions. Of particular interest is the contractual relationship between a patient and his or her healthcare provider. The creation of such a contract can appear to be a fairly simple issue. If your practice accepts new patients, for example, contracts may be created by issuing an appointment time with a specific physician or practitioner. More confusing might be the termination of a contractual relationship between a patient and physician. According to our textbook, there are four means by which a contract can be terminated between the patient and physician: 1. When the patient is cured or dies; 2. When the patient and the physician mutually consent to termination; 3. When the patient dismisses the physician; and 4. When the physician withdraws from the contract. Physicians must be careful, however, in some of these situations. For example, if a physician withdraws as the health care provider before the patient is cured, the patient may claim abandonment by the physician. In this discussion, we will be looking at some of the instances where abandonment has been and has not been found.