Once a doctor retires, most patients move on and start seeing another physician. However, there are a number of reasons why you might need to find a doctor who has retired. You may need to locate your old medical records. You might have a question about a specific treatment your former doctor recommended. Whatever the reason, there are a few simple, effective steps you can take when attempting to find a retired doctor.
Check to see if you have any personal information on the retired doctor, such as a home phone, fax number or a personal email address. Check the phone directory to see if he is listed in the residential pages. If you have his address, write him a letter. Doctors often give patients this type of information in case of emergency. Be sure to explain who you are when you contact the doctor and be upfront about your reason for contacting him.
Ask your current doctor for assistance in locating your retired doctor. It's very common for a patient to start seeing the doctor who took over the retired doctor's practice. If this is the case, your new doctor should be able to help you locate the retired doctor fairly easily. If you started seeing a doctor in another practice, she may still be able to help you. Doctors tend to know health-care professionals in their fields who are located in the same area. If you've moved to a new city or state, your doctor most likely has a network of colleagues who can eventually lead you to a health-care professional in the city where the retired doctor was located. Once you're given the name of a colleague, contact him and be sure to mention the doctor who referred you.
Contact professional medical organizations to find the retired doctor. Local medical organizations, such as your local health department, might be able to help you locate the doctor. You can also try contacting national organizations, such as the American Medical Association or the National Association of Retired Physicians. These types of organizations may be able to help you find the retired doctor if he is a former or current member.
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J. Johnson has been completing freelance writing work since September 2009. Her work includes writing website content and small client projects. Johnson holds a degree in English from North Carolina State University.