The comparison is intended to serve as a resource to help retiring physicians and closing practices navigate their obligations and avoid regulatory penalties as a result of the patient notification process. 2. A physician in a multi-physician practice is retiring or leaving the geographic practice area. All patients of record who have not requested their records 30 days before the person discontinues the medical-practice business or leaves the State must be notified by first class mail by the person to permit that persons patients to procure their records., http://delcode.delaware.gov/title24/c017/sc05/index.html, Florida Statute Title 32 Ch. Meanwhile, about one in three doctors and other health professionals say they intend to reduce work hours in the next 12 months, according to recently published survey research. Retiring members can reference our Retirement Checklist for additional guidelines and to find information about Tribute Plan award payments. Doing so could subject the provider to claims of abandonment by the patient. State advises providers follow (1) AMA and (2) Louisiana State Medical Society Guidelines. The notice must include an explanation of how copies of the facilitys records may be accessed by patients. What if a given non-solicitation provision does not restrict a providers right to notify patients of his or her departure? A non-solicitation clause only prohibits solicitation. That case involved a dispute over a non-compete in a urologists employment agreement. Among the factors in the decision, the court concluded that physicians obligations not to commit patient abandonment militated against interpreting the non-compete as the employer proposed, stating: To conclude that telephone inquiries from existing patients to their physician constitute the practice of medicine in the context of a restrictive covenant would effectively force a physician to neglect or abandon his patients whenever they telephone or page him with medical-related questions, concerns, or emergencies at a time when he happens to be in the restricted geographical area. If the practice has social media, post the notification message there as well. For example, the Ohio Medical Board has adopted specific rules about the content of the notice, which must include the following (Rule 4731-27-03): The Ohio rules require the health care entity to send the notice to patients, but it may satisfy its statutory obligation by providing patient contact information to the departing physician and requiring the physician to send the notice to patients.