If your doctor is retiring in the near future, we advise that you get a copy of your medical records right away
When dealing with doctors and healthcare professionals, people typically like to go to somebody that they trust and have built a close relationship with. That’s why when your doctor decides to retire, it can leave you in tough spot. If your doctor is about to retire, you probably are not looking forward to the challenges and inconveniences that go along with selecting a new physician and learning to trust that person. Fortunately, My Retired Doctor can help you with at least one of the tasks that must be taken care of when your doctor decides to retire — ordering your medical records. In order to gain access to your records, all you have to do is fill out a simple online order form or give us a call to retrieve copies of your medical records. Here are 5 reasons why you should order copies of your records as soon as possible.
Have Your Records Transferred into Electronic Format
When your order copies of your medical records with My Retired Doctor, we will scan the records into our secure database and create an electronic copy of your records. Once your records have been scanned and transferred to electronic format, you will have a high-quality, digital copy of your medical records that is much more secure than old paper based records. Electronic medical records (EMR) allow you to decide who has access to your records and also allow you to have much easier access to your records. They are also much easier to transfer to other doctors and specialists than paper records. If you still want physical paper copies of your records, you can create and print out these records from your EMR.
Make the Switch to a New Doctor Simple
One of the main reasons why you should request copies of your medical records immediately after your last appointment with your retiring doctor is to make the process of switching to a new doctor easier. If you have already searched and selected your new doctor, we can scan your records and transfer them directly to the appropriate location at the new doctor’s facility. If you are still searching for a replacement for your retiring doctor, we can gather copies of your records and send them back directly to you. Once you select a new physician, you can then bring these records with you to your first appointment so that your new doctor will have your up to date medical information.
Ensure the Continuity of Your Care
Another reason why you should request a copy of your medical records is to ensure that you receive continuity of care from your old physician to your new one. Theoretically, your new physician could start from scratch with your health care when taking you on as a new patient, but this can prevent you from receiving the best possible care. Without having access to your medical history, your new doctor will have to rely on your knowledge of your own healthcare history and also run tests in order to find out important information about you. You are much better off having a copy of your medical records on hand for any new doctors or specialists to reference when they are treating you.
Prevent Duplicate Testing
Without having access to a complete copy of your medical records that includes all diagnostic tests, medications, surgeries, etc., it is likely that you will have new doctors and specialists perform tests and procedures on you that you have already had done. These duplicate procedures can be costly and time consuming for you. A new physician might also provide treatments or try remedies that you already know will not be effective for you. You can avoid any duplicate testing and the issues that come with it by simply having a complete and up to date copy of your medical records at your disposal.
Keep Your Personal Health Record Updated
One final reason to request copies of your medical records as soon as your doctor retires is that doing so will allow you to keep your personal health record up to date. A personal health record is highly recommended because it allows you to make vital information about your care easily available not only to your doctors, but also to loved ones or powers of attorney who may need this information if you are in an accident or become incapacitated in some way. Personal health records have become more and more popular because they allow people to easily analyze their own health and we recommend that you look into establishing your own.
In order to monitor your own health and ensure that you are receiving the best care possible from all of your doctors, you must have access to your medical records. Changing doctors can be a difficult and scary process, but you can make it much easier on yourself by simply having copies of your medical records readily available. We make it easy to order your records online, but if you do not feel comfortable doing so, then you can call and speak with one of our professional representatives to start the ordering process. If your doctor is planning on retiring, do not wait any longer — order your records immediately!