A doctor must substitute a senior doctor in his/her absence or inform about his/her unavailability to the patient/relatives before taking up the case.

Every patient has the right to good medical care. Regulation 2.4 of the MCI Code of Ethics Regulations, 2002 also states that the patient must not be neglected. It states, “A physician is free to choose whom he will serve. He should, however, respond to any request for his assistance in an emergency. Once having undertaken a case, the physician should not neglect the patient, nor should he withdraw from the case without giving adequate notice to the patient and his family. Provisionally or fully registered medical practitioner shall not wilfully commit an act of negligence that may deprive his patient or patients from necessary medical care.”