Physicians' Obligations on Closing or Leaving a Medical Practice Some items to consider when a physician closes or leaves a medical practice: Board Rule 540-X-9-.10(3) states, "When a physician retires, terminates employment or otherwise leaves a medical practice, he or she is responsible for ensuring that active patients receive reasonable notification and are given the opportunity to arrange for the transfer of their medical records.  A physician or physician group should not withhold information from a departing physician which is necessary for notification of patients.  A physician or the estate of a deceased physician transferring medical records in connection with the sale of a medical practice should notify the physician’s active patients that the records are being transferred and should provide the patient with information sufficient to secure the transfer of the medical record." AMA Ethical Opinion E-7.03 states, "When a physician retires or dies, patients should be notified and urged to find a new physician and should be informed that upon authorization, records will be sent to the new physician. Records which may be of value to a patient and which are not forwarded to a new physician should be retained, either by the treating physician, another physician, or such other person lawfully permitted to act as a custodian of the records. The patients of a physician who leaves a group practice should be notified that the physician is leaving the group. Patients of the physician should also be informed of the physician’s new address and offered the opportunity to have their medical records forwarded to the departing physician at his or her new practice location. It is unethical to withhold such information upon request of a patient. If the responsibility for notifying patients falls to the departing physician rather than to the group, the group should not interfere with the discharge of these duties by withholding patient lists or other necessary information." Medical Licensure Commission Rule 545-X-4-.06 states as an example of unprofessional conduct, "The refusal by a physician to comply, within a reasonable time, with a request from another physician for medical records or medical information when such request is accompanied by a properly executed authorization of the patient." AMA Ethical Opinion E-8.115 states, "Physicians have an obligation to support continuity of care for their patients. While physicians have the option of withdrawing from a case, they cannot do so without giving notice to the patient, the relatives, or responsible friends sufficiently long in advance of withdrawal to permit another medical attendant to be secured." AMA Ethical Opinion E-7.01 states, "The interest of the patient is paramount in the practice of medicine, and everything that can reasonably and lawfully be done to serve that interest must be done by all physicians who have served or are serving the patient. A physician who formerly treated a patient should not refuse for any reason to make records of that patient promptly available on request to another physician presently treating the patient. Proper authorization for the use of records must be granted by the patient. Medical reports should not be withheld because of an unpaid bill for medical services." Section 34-24-338 of the Code of Alabama states, "If any registrant shall change his address during the year for which any certificate of registration shall have been issued by the commission, such registrant shall, within 15 days thereafter, notify the commission of such change, whereupon the commission shall issue to such registrant without additional fee, a duplicate registration certificate for such new location."