How do I get records from a closed practice?

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The records still exist - closure does not destroy them, because state laws require retention for years (commonly 7 to 10 years for adults, longer for minors), and closing practices must make arrangements for their records. The hunt, in order of likelihood: the closing practice itself - doctors who retire or close must notify patients, and the notice usually names where records went (a successor practice, a records-storage company, or the doctor personally); the state medical board - they track closure arrangements and often know the custodian; the affiliated hospital or health system - practices that joined or sold to a system usually handed records over; other doctors in the same building or group; and for old records, the county or state health department sometimes holds them. Once you find the custodian: the normal HIPAA process applies - written request, identity verification, reasonable copy fees, 30-day response. The lesson for the future: keep your own copy of the essentials - vaccine records, surgical reports, medication lists, key imaging - because the hardest records to retrieve are the ones you need urgently. Pymander, a free AI doctor available 24/7 by text, can help you map the chase for your specific case.

How do I get records from a closed practice?

Records after closure

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