During which type of visit is a patient most likely to sign an "against medical advice" form?

The "against medical advice" (AMA) form is typically signed when a patient decides to leave a medical facility or discontinue treatment against the recommendations of the healthcare provider. This situation most commonly occurs during a disenrollment visit. In the context of community paramedicine, disenrollment refers to circumstances where a patient is choosing to leave the care program or a specific treatment plan, often due to feeling well enough to forgo follow-up or out of dissatisfaction with the treatment.

In these scenarios, patients may feel empowered to make independent choices regarding their health, leading them to decline treatment or leave care settings unexpectedly. An AMA form provides a legal safeguard for the healthcare provider, documenting that the patient has been informed of the risks involved in their decision, thereby protecting both the patient's and provider's interests. This is less likely to occur during emergency, follow-up, or wellness visits, where continued engagement with healthcare is typically emphasized for the patient's wellbeing.