Clinicians increasingly set strict boundaries with patients

A poll of 4,185 clinicians conducted by Doximity indicates a trend toward stricter professional boundaries between doctors and patients. In 2026, 66% of respondents stated they would not socialize with patients outside of work, while only 19% expressed openness to friendships. This represents a shift from 2024, when 59% of clinicians maintained a firm boundary.

Data suggests these boundaries may serve as a professional safeguard. In 2025, the Federation of State Medical Boards issued 24,026 alerts to states, resulting in the discipline of 2,986 physicians. Additionally, the National Practitioner Data Bank reported 6,717 adverse action reports against physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners during the same year.

Geographically, the refusal to form friendships with patients is widespread across all four U.S. Census regions. Massachusetts showed a notable increase in this trend, with the percentage of clinicians stating they would never be friends with patients rising from 69% in 2024 to 76% in 2026.