Against Medical Advice Discharge: A Narrative Review and Recommendations for a Systematic Approach

Approximately 1%-2% of hospitalizations in the United States result an against medical advice discharge. Still, practice discharging patients is highly subjective and variable. Discharges are associated with physician distress, patient stigma, adverse outcomes, including increased morbidity mortality. This review summarizes discharge research, proposes a definition for discharge, recommends standard approach to patient's request advice.