What circumstance may lead a physician to disregard a patient's wishes?

A physician may disregard a patient's wishes primarily due to a determination of incompetence. In cases where a patient is found to lack the capacity to make informed decisions about their own medical care—whether due to mental illness, cognitive impairment, or other conditions—the physician has an ethical and legal obligation to act in the patient's best interests. This may involve overriding the patient’s expressed wishes in order to ensure they receive appropriate and necessary medical treatment.

The concept of patient autonomy is crucial in healthcare; however, it comes with the expectation that the patient is competent to make decisions. When incompetence is identified, it necessitates a different approach, often involving legal guardianship or surrogate decision-makers to ensure that the patient's health and welfare are prioritized appropriately.

Other factors, such as a patient's financial status, timing of treatment, or hospital policies, may influence medical decisions but do not inherently justify overriding patient autonomy in the same fundamental manner as incompetence does. Financial limitations might affect treatment options, timing could alter the urgency of care, and hospital policies may govern certain practices, but these do not negate a patient's right to have their wishes respected if they are competent to express them.