After you have seen your final patient, destroy all remaining prescription pads and contact your local Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) office for guidance on filing and eventual destruction of your narcotics ledger, as well as information on the approved method of drug disposal. Remember, when destroying any confidential records and prescription pads, the safest course is to shred using a reputable company, keeping records of what is shredded and obtaining certificates of destruction.
As you look at these contracts and paperwork, it is important to go by the book. You never know when you will need a reference from your former employer or partner, so don’t burn any bridges unnecessarily. Ask each organization if they have any policies regarding notice and the handling of medical records, and provide a forwarding address for each organization.
Professional Relationships
In the months just before you discontinue your practice, notify your patients, colleagues, office staff, federal agencies, local DEA office, and all outside companies and third-party payers with which your practice is in contract. The first party that should be notified will be your colleagues and staff. It will be difficult to keep the news of your departure from them, and they will likely pick up on rumors. Taking a proactive approach and discussing your plans with them as soon as you have decided to leave is necessary to maintain good relations with those who work closely with you. You will want to have their help to keep activities and events involved in the departure organized and unproblematic. Your colleagues or partners will need to have advance notice about your departure so that they can prepare and plan for business disruptions and possible workload increases as your patients seek new physicians to attend to their care.
The ACR does not have a policy in place that states a firm date or time period for notification of patients. It is a good practice, and along the ethical guidelines of the American Medical Association, to give your patients, “reasonable notice and sufficient opportunity to make alternative arrangements for care.” This should be at minimum 30 days prior to your scheduled end date. Check with your state medical society to verify whether it has a set policy regarding the method and timing of notification. Most states only say that patients should be given ample notice to make alternate arrangements for care and that the physician should make sufficient attempt to notify all active patients, but some are more specific.
