Leaving Against Medical Advice (LAMA) continues to be a challenging and often under-addressed issue in hospital practice. Across emergency departments, wards, intensive care units, and perioperative settings, LAMA is associated with interrupted care, increased risk of adverse outcomes, and significant medico-legal uncertainty. Despite its frequency, the approach to LAMA documentation remains highly variable and frequently inadequate. One of the major concerns surrounding LAMA is the lack of uniform documentation. In many instances, records are limited to a brief note or a signed form, without detailed documentation of the patient’s clinical status at the time of departure, the risks explained, alternatives offered, assessment of decision-making capacity, or clear post-LAMA instructions. Such incomplete documentation not only compromises continuity of care but also places health-care professionals and institutions at medico-legal risk, particularly when adverse events occur after discharge.
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