Practical Provider Group
Boundaries in Practice Workshop — Free Resource
Boundaries Script Cheat Sheet
Word-for-word scripts for the limit-setting conversations most providers dread.
Knowing a boundary needs to be set and knowing what to say are two different skills. These scripts are designed to be direct, professional, and warm — holding the limit without rupturing the relationship.
Situation 01
Patient texts or calls you on your personal phone
"I want to make sure I'm always available to you in the right way. My personal number isn't the best way to reach me — please use the practice line so your message gets to me properly and I can document our communication correctly. Let me give you that number again."
Don't say: "How did you get this number?" — it sounds accusatory and derails the conversation.
Patient contacted provider via personal phone on [date]. Patient redirected to practice contact number. No clinical concerns disclosed in message.
Situation 02
Patient requests medication outside of an appointment
"I hear that you're in a difficult spot right now, and I want to help you. Prescribing decisions need to happen within an appointment so I can assess you properly and document your care correctly. Let's get you scheduled as soon as possible — can you come in [timeframe]?"
Don't say: "I can't do anything without seeing you" — it sounds dismissive. Acknowledge the difficulty first.
Patient requested [medication] via [phone/message] on [date] outside of scheduled appointment. Declined to prescribe without evaluation. Appointment scheduled for [date].
Situation 03
Patient wants to connect on social media
"That's kind of you. I keep my professional and personal lives completely separate on social media — that's true for all my patients, not just you. It helps me stay fully present in our clinical work together."
Don't say: "I'll think about it" or "maybe sometime." A soft no invites renegotiation.
Patient requested social media connection on [date]. Declined per professional limits policy. No further discussion required.
Situation 04
Patient brings a gift
"That's very thoughtful of you, and I can see this comes from a genuine place. I have a policy of not accepting gifts from patients — it's about keeping our relationship focused on your care and making sure nothing complicates that. I appreciate you thinking of me, and I hope you understand."
Don't accept "just this once." The exception becomes the precedent.
Patient offered gift ([description]) on [date]. Declined per professional limits policy. Patient was appreciative and understanding.
Situation 05
Patient is consistently late and expects the full session time
"I've noticed we've been starting late a few times, and I want to address it directly. Our appointment time is [X], and I'm able to see you until [Y]. When we start late, we have less time together and it can affect the quality of our work. I want to make sure you're getting the most out of our sessions — can we talk about what's been making it hard to arrive on time?"
Don't silently extend the appointment to make up time. It rewards lateness and penalizes other patients.
Discussed appointment latency pattern with patient on [date]. Patient cited [reason]. Plan: patient to arrive 5 minutes early. Provider will begin session at scheduled time regardless of arrival.
Situation 06
Patient asks you to falsify or alter documentation
"I understand you're in a difficult situation, and I want to support you through it. What you're asking me to do would be falsifying a medical record, which I'm not able to do. It would put my license at risk and ultimately wouldn't serve you well either. Let's talk about what's driving this and find a legitimate path forward."
Do not agree to "just leave that part out" or "word it differently." Document requests to alter records.
Patient requested [specific alteration] to clinical records on [date]. Declined. Explained documentation standards and legal requirements. Patient [response]. Alternative options discussed: [list].