01/15/2026

Survey Tip of the Week: Choice of Attending Physician

Residents have the right to choose their attending physician, and facilities may not interfere with that choice. Surveyors cite F555 when residents are not informed of this right, are not supported in selecting a physician, or are not kept informed of the name, specialty, and contact information for the physician and other primary care professionals responsible for their care. The attending physician is defined as the primary physician managing the resident’s medical care, not specialists seen periodically.

If a resident’s chosen physician is unable or unwilling to meet regulatory requirements, the facility must inform the resident and discuss alternative physician participation. Before seeking an alternate physician, the medical director must attempt to work with the attending physician or mediate differences. Only after those efforts fail may the facility assist the resident in selecting another physician, and the resident’s preferences must be honored. Surveyors will interview residents and staff to confirm that physician choice was respected and that residents were supported in identifying and contacting their attending physician.