Pediatrician Retires with NO NOTICE????

[indimom]

Seriously? No letter, nothing???
We've been with this woman for 12 years and she just disappears with no notice whatsoever. I'm so aggravated right now. And how do I find out? When my daughter's eye surgeon tried to contact the office for information. GRRRRR!
Not only did I feel like an idiot when the surgeon's office called to tell me our pediatrician was retired, but now I'm forced to track down both the kids medical records through a P.O. Box.
Lovely.
Apparently I'm not the only angry parent, since the receptionist at the multi-specialty clinic where this doctor was based sounded completely harassed and defensive when I called.
Then, I let the stress over DD's diagnosis and surgery boil over and I start crying on the phone with this stranger.
Ugh, if I could find that stinkin' doctor right now. I could explode.
How is this an acceptable practice? I'm down to hoping the doctor or her husband are seriously ill themselves, because that's the only excuse I can come up with for this kind of incompetence. Even then, how hard would it be to have the office staff send out a mailer with information on how to access your records.

 

[DawnCt1]

Seriously? No letter, nothing???
We've been with this woman for 12 years and she just disappears with no notice whatsoever. I'm so aggravated right now. And how do I find out? When my daughter's eye surgeon tried to contact the office for information. GRRRRR!
Not only did I feel like an idiot when the surgeon's office called to tell me our pediatrician was retired, but now I'm forced to track down both the kids medical records through a P.O. Box.
Lovely.
Apparently I'm not the only angry parent, since the receptionist at the multi-specialty clinic where this doctor was based sounded completely harassed and defensive when I called.
Then, I let the stress over DD's diagnosis and surgery boil over and I start crying on the phone with this stranger.
Ugh, if I could find that stinkin' doctor right now. I could explode.
How is this an acceptable practice? I'm down to hoping the doctor or her husband are seriously ill themselves, because that's the only excuse I can come up with for this kind of incompetence. Even then, how hard would it be to have the office staff send out a mailer with information on how to access your records.

Wow, that's mean. When physicians retire abruptly, it is usually because they are seriously ill. If you were not an active patient, you would not have been notified about your child's records. If you are an active patient, perhaps there wasn't time. You will be able to get your records, it may just take some time, particularly if they had a lot of patients.

 

[golfgal]

Maybe she had a serious medical condition that required her to stop immediately?

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

This has happened to me with 2 primary care doctors and my eye doctor in the past couple of years. I completely lost my records from the first PCP, and with the 2nd, I transferred to someone else in the same practice. The eye doctor had a sign on the door about who to call for records.

At least one case, I kind of wondered if there were financial problems that caused them to close - maybe there wasn't enough money to send a letter to everyone??

 

[kacaju]

my husband's Dr died and we were not told. In fact we found out through another Dr.
I know you are stressed and have every right to be so, but seriously, it can be completely out of the Dr's control and maybe the office staff is not allowed to just go sending out letters.

 

[tlbwriter]

Wow, that would be frustrating. I've had a couple of doctors leave on short notice, but at least they sent me a letter to let me know. The fact that her former clinic isn't handling the medical records (unless I misunderstood that) makes me wonder if it was a "business emergency" rather than personal issues. Both of my doctors worked with clinics and I was able to go through the clinic's office to get my records.

 

[golfgal]

Wow, that would be frustrating. I've had a couple of doctors leave on short notice, but at least they sent me a letter to let me know. The fact that her former clinic isn't handling the medical records (unless I misunderstood that) makes me wonder if it was a "business emergency" rather than personal issues. Both of my doctors worked with clinics and I was able to go through the clinic's office to get my records.

A lot of doctors just rent space at a clinic and really have no other business relationship with that clinic other then maybe having shared office staff as part of that rental agreement so it isn't all that surprising that the clinic isn't handling her records.

 

[tlbwriter]

Your daughter is the one with the macular hole, right? How is she doing?

 

[Robinrs]

I never get hooked on any doctor. They're just business professionals, not spouses or employers...

I'm in the process of moving my uncle's records to North Atlanta from South Atlanta to make it more convenient. A few phone calls, a few faxes, that's it.
Ask around for the name of a good pediatrician under your insurance, it'll be okay.

 

[Scurvy]

Seriously? No letter, nothing???
We've been with this woman for 12 years and she just disappears with no notice whatsoever. I'm so aggravated right now. And how do I find out? When my daughter's eye surgeon tried to contact the office for information. GRRRRR!
Not only did I feel like an idiot when the surgeon's office called to tell me our pediatrician was retired, but now I'm forced to track down both the kids medical records through a P.O. Box.
Lovely.
Apparently I'm not the only angry parent, since the receptionist at the multi-specialty clinic where this doctor was based sounded completely harassed and defensive when I called.
Then, I let the stress over DD's diagnosis and surgery boil over and I start crying on the phone with this stranger.
Ugh, if I could find that stinkin' doctor right now. I could explode.
How is this an acceptable practice? I'm down to hoping the doctor or her husband are seriously ill themselves, because that's the only excuse I can come up with for this kind of incompetence. Even then, how hard would it be to have the office staff send out a mailer with information on how to access your records.

I certainly hope you didn't mean the bolded the way it sounds. I hope that it was just an incredibly clumsy and insensitive way of saying you would be more understanding of the situation if the doctor had a "good reason" for her actions as opposed to just running off for fun without worrying about her patients. My father was a professor. He became ill suddenly and last set foot in his office in February. From that point until he died in April he didn't deal with his students at all. He couldn't, he was too sick. The dean and his staff dealt with everything after that point. I can't imagine someone being heartless enough to hope that my father was seriously ill because he hadn't communicated that he would no longer be teaching. Wishing that sort of pain on people is just unthinkable to me.

It's possible that the pediatrcian was just an idiot who selfishly closed up shop and left everyone to fend for themselves because she wanted to move to Bermuda. It's also possible that she or a family member is having some horrible crisis and they can't deal with patients right now. What's the problem with going through a P.O. box to get the medical records? Maybe it's more hassle than picking them up in person, but you're still going to be able to get them. If she was an actual part of a clinic then the clinic probably should have communicated with the patients, but if she just used an office there then maybe they felt it was sufficient to inform each patient when they called next rather than trying to contact them all. If they had sent a letter, you still might have had to get the records the same way you're having to get them now.

 

[Deb in IA]

Maybe she was fired.

 

[krcit]

I can understand your frustration but I'm sure you didn't really mean that you hope that the Dr or her husband are seriously ill. Right? My best friend went for a routine physical and got a phone call 24 hours later to go directly to the hospital where she was diagnosed witrh leukemia. She has been there for almost a month so far and will be there for at least 3 more weeks. Sometimes things happen beyond our control. Sometimes people are just jerks and act irresponsiblely I hope your dd will be ok.

 

[lemondog]

Extremely unprofessional, no matter what the reason for leaving. My ob/gyn had to retire very quickly due to a medical condition...he still found it possible to send letters to all his patients and let us know we could use another doctor in the practice, or they would send our records to a new practice free of charge. I think all this took place over the course of 2 weeks.

 

[rie'smom]

When we've had doctors retire or move, their staff called or sent a letter.
BTW, the OP is distressed and I'm sure she didn't mean the part about hoping they're sick. I took it to mean that this would be an acceptable excuse for not informing patients.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I think SOMEONE at that clinic should've notified you. Even IF the doctor was fired, has an illness, retired, etc. The letter doesn't need to say WHY, but it should at least give you the courtesy of knowing so that you can make other arrangements for care.

 

[Cinderella94]

Okay, let's cut the OP a break about how she worded the last few lines. I think it's obvious to all of us that she's not just sitting around wishing illness on this person or their family. We know what she meant--that there's hopefully a good reason for the dr's abrupt departure. Or at least, I do.

 

[Kellydelly]

My OB/GYN left the state without giving me any notice. I was waiting for a reminder to make my annual appt and never got one. When I finally called to see when I was due I was told she was long gone. Nice .

 

[cm8]

Wow, that's mean. When physicians retire abruptly, it is usually because they are seriously ill. If you were not an active patient, you would not have been notified about your child's records. If you are an active patient, perhaps there wasn't time. You will be able to get your records, it may just take some time, particularly if they had a lot of patients.

Usually this is the case, but in other cases, some just up and leave because they were un happy with the partnership or fed-up if they practiced alone. I know an ENT who did just this and left a note on his door that he was now retired and to call xyz to get your medical records, no calls, no letters, and he was just opened the day before. The space he rented is now for sale.


Another example was with an endocrinologist, she was in a practice with 4 other doctors, she was un happy with how things were going so she just up and quit without telling anyone her patients included.

I hope you find another qualified pediatrician to fill the gap in the meanwhile

 

[indimom]

Wow, that's mean. When physicians retire abruptly, it is usually because they are seriously ill. If you were not an active patient, you would not have been notified about your child's records. If you are an active patient, perhaps there wasn't time. You will be able to get your records, it may just take some time, particularly if they had a lot of patients.

Your right. I worded that really bad. Not what I meant. I don't hope anything bad happened to her. I really liked her. I'm just so frustrated right now and I didn't say that right at all.
I won't say we were regular patients, but from what I've gotten from the clinic and then the local hospital, it appears they didn't inform anyone.

Maybe she had a serious medical condition that required her to stop immediately?

That's the only thing I could think of that made sense. She was always fantastic and really professional. That's why this just floored me.

This has happened to me with 2 primary care doctors and my eye doctor in the past couple of years. I completely lost my records from the first PCP, and with the 2nd, I transferred to someone else in the same practice. The eye doctor had a sign on the door about who to call for records.
I really hope we can get the records. Both kids have had quite a few tests run to clear them for sports and I really don't want to have to do them over again for a new doctor to give them the go-ahead.
At least one case, I kind of wondered if there were financial problems that caused them to close - maybe there wasn't enough money to send a letter to everyone??

I couldn't speculate on this one. She shared an office with her husband who was a surgeon. They always seemed busy. Sometimes it was hard to get in immediately, but I guess that doesn't mean something couldn't have happened to hurt the business financially.

my husband's Dr died and we were not told. In fact we found out through another Dr.
I know you are stressed and have every right to be so, but seriously, it can be completely out of the Dr's control and maybe the office staff is not allowed to just go sending out letters.

Yeah, I know. I've calmed myself down by now. I realize I was just taking my frustrations out on this situation.

A lot of doctors just rent space at a clinic and really have no other business relationship with that clinic other then maybe having shared office staff as part of that rental agreement so it isn't all that surprising that the clinic isn't handling her records.

That's how this clinic worked.

Your daughter is the one with the macular hole, right? How is she doing?

Thanks for asking. That is my daughter, but the eye doctor was wrong and it's not a macular hole. She has Presumed Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome. There are some treatment options that can help, but there's no cure and it can come back again and again with no rhyme or reason. She has it in both eyes, but so far it is only active in one.
She is scheduled for laser surgery Nov. 12th to stop the current growth. They can't say if she will get any vision back in this eye. We'll just have to see if any of it clears after the surgery. After that she will have to self-check her vision daily to catch any future activity to early enough to prevent this kind of vision loss.

I never get hooked on any doctor. They're just business professionals, not spouses or employers...
I know. I've got no excuse for my vent. I just went off on the situation.I'm in the process of moving my uncle's records to North Atlanta from South Atlanta to make it more convenient. A few phone calls, a few faxes, that's it.
Ask around for the name of a good pediatrician under your insurance, it'll be okay.

Thanks. We actually have already got an appointment with a new ped. because in order to have the procedure on Nov. 12th, our daughter is required to have a pregnancy test since she's of "childbearing age." I guess the chemical they put into her bloodstream is not healthy for a fetus, so we needed to make an appointment to clear her for the surgery.

I certainly hope you didn't mean the bolded the way it sounds. I hope that it was just an incredibly clumsy and insensitive way of saying you would be more understanding of the situation if the doctor had a "good reason" for her actions as opposed to just running off for fun without worrying about her patients. My father was a professor. He became ill suddenly and last set foot in his office in February. From that point until he died in April he didn't deal with his students at all. He couldn't, he was too sick. The dean and his staff dealt with everything after that point. I can't imagine someone being heartless enough to hope that my father was seriously ill because he hadn't communicated that he would no longer be teaching. Wishing that sort of pain on people is just unthinkable to me.
Yes. It was very poorly worded and a crappy thing to say. I'm sorry I brought back painful memories for you. I've got to learn to keep my mouth shut when I'm upset. I've got a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease.It's possible that the pediatrcian was just an idiot who selfishly closed up shop and left everyone to fend for themselves because she wanted to move to Bermuda. It's also possible that she or a family member is having some horrible crisis and they can't deal with patients right now. What's the problem with going through a P.O. box to get the medical records? Maybe it's more hassle than picking them up in person, but you're still going to be able to get them. If she was an actual part of a clinic then the clinic probably should have communicated with the patients, but if she just used an office there then maybe they felt it was sufficient to inform each patient when they called next rather than trying to contact them all. If they had sent a letter, you still might have had to get the records the same way you're having to get them now.

I've already sent for the records. Again, no excuse for my vent. It was uncalled for.

Maybe she was fired.

No. Private practice she shared with her husband.

I can understand your frustration but I'm sure you didn't really mean that you hope that the Dr or her husband are seriously ill. Right? My best friend went for a routine physical and got a phone call 24 hours later to go directly to the hospital where she was diagnosed witrh leukemia. She has been there for almost a month so far and will be there for at least 3 more weeks. Sometimes things happen beyond our control. Sometimes people are just jerks and act irresponsiblely I hope your dd will be ok.

Your right. I was being selfish and thoughtless.

Extremely unprofessional, no matter what the reason for leaving. My ob/gyn had to retire very quickly due to a medical condition...he still found it possible to send letters to all his patients and let us know we could use another doctor in the practice, or they would send our records to a new practice free of charge. I think all this took place over the course of 2 weeks.

I guess the P.O. Box was their way of doing this.

When we've had doctors retire or move, their staff called or sent a letter.
BTW, the OP is distressed and I'm sure she didn't mean the part about hoping they're sick. I took it to mean that this would be an acceptable excuse for not informing patients.

That's what I meant. But when I reread it, even I was shocked at how lousy it sounded.

I think SOMEONE at that clinic should've notified you. Even IF the doctor was fired, has an illness, retired, etc. The letter doesn't need to say WHY, but it should at least give you the courtesy of knowing so that you can make other arrangements for care.

It would have been nice, but I guess they just figured if you had an emergency, you'd go to a clinic or something. It's really NOT the big deal for us that I was making it out to be. I was just stressed and blew up.

Okay, let's cut the OP a break about how she worded the last few lines. I think it's obvious to all of us that she's not just sitting around wishing illness on this person or their family. We know what she meant--that there's hopefully a good reason for the dr's abrupt departure. Or at least, I do.

I absolutely do NOT wish anything bad on this doctor. She was a really nice lady. I liked her a lot. Sorry for the lousy thing I said. It was wrong and I really have no excuse.

 

[rie'smom]

I absolutely do NOT wish anything bad on this doctor. She was a really nice lady. I liked her a lot. Sorry for the lousy thing I said. It was wrong and I really have no excuse.

All of us have had our posts misinterpreted at one time or another. I hope everything goes well for your daughter.