You have decided you want a different kind of primary care. Then the practical questions start. What happens to twelve years of records sitting in another system? Who refills the blood pressure medication in the meantime? Do you have to tell your current doctor, and will that be awkward?
Switching is usually more straightforward than people expect. The two things worth getting right are the order you do them in and your records. Here is how it generally goes.
Step 1: Meet the physician before you commit to anything
Do not cancel anything yet. Start with a conversation, so you know what you are switching to before you switch away from what you have.
At Ridgeview that is a free 30-minute meet and greet with Dr. Kroner, and it is a conversation rather than an appointment. You can bring your questions, your medication list and your skepticism. We wrote about what actually happens at a meet and greet if you would like to know what to expect. If the model itself is still new to you, our guide to what direct primary care is is a good place to start.
Step 2: Sort out your records
This is the part people dread and the part that matters most. A new physician working without your history is working with one hand tied. Records do not transfer automatically between practices, but modern technology does help smooth out some of the kinks.
What to ask for
If you have received care at small private practices, you do not need every page ever generated. Ask for the parts that change decisions:
- Problem list and current medications, with doses.
- Allergies and any past reactions.
- Lab results from the last two to three years, so trends are visible rather than single numbers.
- Imaging reports, and the images themselves if you have had an MRI, CT or ultrasound that still matters.
- Immunization record.
- Specialist letters and operative reports from any surgery or procedure.
- Recent visit notes, usually the last year or two.
If you have been a patient of large healthcare systems, the more robust electronic health record systems have digital access for patients and their private practice providers. We will discuss how to access these best during the meet and greet meeting.
How to request it
Most practices have a records release form, often available through their patient portal. Federal privacy rules give you the right to get a copy of your own medical records, and practices are allowed to charge a reasonable fee for copying records. Ask the office what their process, format and timeline are, and ask for an electronic copy if one is available, since that is usually faster and easier to share.
If a practice does not respond to your request, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights is the authority that handles medical records access complaints. That is rarely needed, but it is worth knowing.
One practical tip: download your own copy as well, not just the copy sent to the new practice. Portals get retired and practices close. A PDF in your own files ages better than an account you cannot log into in five years.
Step 3: Handle prescriptions before there is a gap
This is the most common avoidable problem in a switch. If you take a regular medication, check how many refills you have left before you make any changes, and tell your new physician at the first visit exactly what you are on and who has been prescribing it.
A few medications have extra steps involved in transferring prescribing, so mention them early rather than the week you run out. If you are being co-managed by a specialist for something, say so to avoid redundancies and confusion at the pharmacy.
Step 4: Check how the rest of your care is covered
A direct primary care membership is not health insurance, and joining one does not change your insurance situation. It covers primary care at the practice. Hospital care, surgery, emergency visits, specialists and most imaging still run through your coverage.
Before switching, it is worth confirming a few things with your plan administrator rather than guessing:
- Whether your plan requires you to designate a primary care provider, and what happens if you change or remove that designation.
- Whether referrals to specialists need to come from an in-network physician under your plan.
- How labs and imaging ordered outside your plan’s system are handled.
These answers vary a great deal by plan, so please check yours directly. Our post on how DPC and insurance work together covers the general shape of it.
Step 5: Let your old practice know
People worry about this more than they need to. Practices handle transfers routinely, and a short note through the portal or a call to the front desk is enough. You do not owe anyone an explanation, and you do not need to make it a conversation.
Do keep any already-scheduled appointments or pending results in mind. If you are mid-workup for something, it is usually better to finish that thread or hand it over deliberately than to leave it dangling between two practices.
What the first real visit is usually like
The first full visit with a new primary care physician tends to be longer than a follow-up one because it is largely history-taking. Expect to go through past conditions, surgeries, family history, medications, what has worked and what has not, and what you actually want out of your care.
Bringing your medication bottles, your records, and a written list of concerns makes that visit far more useful. If you are due for screening or a physical, this is a natural time to plan it; our preventive care page covers what that can include, and the primary care page lists what is handled at the practice.
Start with a conversation
Dr. Christopher Kroner, MD MPH, has practiced family and sports medicine since 2013, including twelve years of full-time academic practice training medical students, residents and fellows. If you are thinking about a change, the first step costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Membership details are on the join page, and a direct primary care membership is not health insurance.
Ridgeview Direct Care is at 4045 Wadsworth Blvd #300 in Wheat Ridge, open Monday through Friday, and serves patients from Arvada, Lakewood, Golden, Edgewater and west Denver.
Book a free 30-minute meet and greet with Dr. Kroner or call 720-807-9961.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please see our medical disclaimer.