Losing a family doctor or nurse practitioner who has followed you for years is stressful. It can be harder if you have health concerns that are active, since a change in provider can complicate them. Start by asking whether your clinic has a plan for patients. Then, if you do end up without a doctor, you have the same options as anyone else.
First, ask if there is a plan
Ask the doctor or the clinic what is happening to the roster, which is the list of patients. There are usually three possibilities:
- Another doctor takes over. Sometimes one physician takes over the whole roster.
- The roster is split. Other doctors in the clinic may each take some of the patients.
- There is no replacement. In that case, patients become unattached.
In Ontario, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario expects doctors who are closing a practice to give patients notice, usually at least 90 days. The notice should say the closing date, whether someone is taking over, and how to get your records. The notice can be shorter if a successor is taking over, or if the closing is sudden.
If you are now unattached
You have the same options as anyone else without a family doctor:
- Call clinics near you directly.
- Search DocMaps or iamsick.ca.
- Register with Health Care Connect.
- Contact your local Ontario Health Team, since many have their own process for connecting people to care.
Our Find a Family Doctor page has all of these in one place.
What happens to your medical records
Your records don't disappear when your doctor retires. Doctors have to keep them for years. The College's Closing a Medical Practice policy sets the usual rule at 10 years from your last visit. A family doctor who has stopped practising has to tell patients before destroying records, and give them a chance to get or transfer their copies. You also have the right to ask for your records.
Your doctor's notice should tell you which clinic or company holds your records and how to ask for them. If you didn't get that information, call the clinic's phone number or check its website. Once you have a new doctor, you can ask for your records to be sent to them.
Getting care in the meantime
If you need a prescription renewed, or a test followed up, you can visit a walk-in clinic if there is one near you.
If you aren't sure what to do next, call 811. You can talk to a nurse, who can help you work out your next step. It is a free service, available any time.
This can be a distressing time. You don't need to sort it all out in one day. Start with the plan for your records, then work through the options above.