Doctor Closing his doors for good.

[SirGaspAlot]

Out of the blue, I get an email saying as of November 1st, I no longer have a Doctor and I need to get another as soon as possible. Already working on it, but the funny thing, is the letter says the company had been sold back in June and operating under another name and they elected to close up shop for good.

So now I'm in the market for another doc so I can continue this little journey. Anyone ever have to do this? Did it come out ok?

[nicholasjh1]

I just use my general PA, as she will pretty much jump on board and research whatever direction I think we should go.

[chunkyfrog]

Odd. A competitor of our refuse company had sent out letters to their customers,
stating that they had been closed and offering to " help".
Piracy, pure and simple.
Make sure that is not the case.

[D.H.]

If you're retired Navy, you're probably eligible for treatment at a VA facility.

Anyhow, you're in Maryland. I'm sure that there are many fine private facilities in that state and nearby in neighboring states.

[SirGaspAlot]

Odd. A competitor of our refuse company had sent out letters to their customers,
stating that they had been closed and offering to " help".
Piracy, pure and simple.
Make sure that is not the case.

Thanks, will verify

[SirGaspAlot]

Nope, they've redirected their phones already. Seems legit.

[D.H.]

Nope, they've redirected their phones already. Seems legit.

Probably so. I had not though of piracy, but I would speak to the redirectee of the phone call.

BTW, it's even possible (but not likely) that their phones have been "slammed."

Also, the facility may have closed, but your doctor may have joined (or started) a different practice.

[LSAT]

Aside from my Primary Care Doc, I haven't used a "sleep doctor" in 10 years

[SirGaspAlot]

Aside from my Primary Care Doc, I haven't used a "sleep doctor" in 10 years

I wouldn't worry about it except I just started ASV treatment and it hasn't stabilized yet (still high hypopneas, centrals/obstructives have dropped to zero) and I have to watch my heart through all this.

[halokittie]

This happened to me a few months back- got a letter stating my doctor had closed his practice the day before because he was moving out of state. He did sell his practice to an established pulmonary and sleep center, so that much was good.

Unfortunately, I was also in the middle of working out pressures and couldn't get in to see anyone for three months and couldn't get my medications refilled because his DEA# was cancelled. When I saw the new doctor, he was not a match for me - he felt that AHIs in the 7s were acceptable and I didn't. So now I'm on the appointment schedule for another sleep specialist for January 2019.

I'm using Pugsy's advice to tweak my settings, but thinking that I'm at the limit of what my APAP will do.

My brother is a disabled vet in San Antonio. He has a superlative sleep doctor at the VA. Like you, he is on AVT therapy. I wish you the best.

[greatunclebill]

our doctors were part of a medical school/hospital situation. they graduated from the school. went to work for the affiliated hospital physicians group and eventually left for other hospitals and physicians groups. usually when the doctor left it was a no advance notice to patients situation. after a few of these sudden doctor changes we followed our last doctor to her new clinic and are still with her.

[JimW159]

This is all part of what might be described as agglutinating medical practices. Single provider joins group to spread insurance risks or other forces; that group either merges with another group or groups; that larger group is absorbed by a hospital entity or mega practice. I personally know of three docs in different specialties who have bailed out because the resultant bureaucracies were becoming overwhelming.

Maryland has a wealth of fine medical services, especially if one is near Baltimore or DC.

[chunkyfrog]

I believe that is what happened with my previous PCP.
He abruptly returned to his home town to practice in a small community.
His partners/colleagues picked up his patients.

[RonS]

This is all part of what might be described as agglutinating medical practices.

Thanks for the new word

Consolidation, mergers, spinoffs...

I've had so many doctors leave groups like HMOs for different reasons, but I've only had one doctor just close up shop and she disappeared under hush hush circumstances that to this day I can't pry out of anyone. That leaves only speculation, so I figure she was ill, physically or mentally.

I've had docs leave to join other practices. My most recent PCP was the Medical Director for a smallish HMO, left to start a small group practice (I followed), then left that to start her own concierge practice (I did not follow).

Change is a constant!

[Okie bipap]

We have lost two PCPs to local Indian clinics. They agreed to go there in order to get their student loans paid off. While we are seen at a sleep clinic regularly, we do not see the doctor. We see a nurse practitioner who specializes in sleep therapy. Our initial prescriptions for the machines were signed by the doctor in the clinic. The sleep clinic comes under the umbrella of the medical group our current PCP is in, so all of our records are consolidated which keeps our PCP in the loop.