For physicians who are retiring, leaving a practice, selling a practice, or deceased, what are the responsibilities in transferring medical records and notifying patients?
Opinion 7.03, “Records of Physicians Upon Retirement or Departure from a Group” specifies that when a physician leaves a practice “…patients should be notified and urged to find a new physician and be informed that upon authorization, records will be sent to the new physician.” When the physician is leaving a group, the patient “should also be notified of the physician’s new address and offered the opportunity to have their medical records forwarded to the departing physician at his or her new practice.” When a practice is being sold, Opinion 7.04, “Sale of a Medical Practice” recommends that patients should be notified, and the records should be transferred to another physician who will, upon written request, send copies to a physician of the patient’s choice. In addition, individual states may have regulations pertaining to the transfer of medical records and the notification of patients. You can contact your state licensing board or medical society to find out what the regulations a
