Changing doctors mid-illness feels risky. Done properly, it takes about two weeks and you lose nothing. Here is the sequence that works.
Patients stay in care that is not working far longer than they should, usually for one of two reasons: they do not want to offend a physician they like personally, or they fear losing years of accumulated history. Neither is a good reason to stay, and both are solvable.
You Do Not Have to Leave Anyone
Adding a practice is not the same as firing one. Most of our patients keep their primary care physician and their specialists. We are frequently an addition to the team rather than a replacement for it, which is how our cooperative model is designed to work.
Request Records Before Your First Visit
- Submit a records request to each office in writing — most have a form on their portal
- Ask specifically for labs, imaging reports, and consultation notes, not just a visit summary
- Request the last three to five years, or back to when symptoms began if longer
- Download anything already available in your patient portal yourself
- Allow about two weeks; offices are legally required to respond but rarely respond instantly
If records do not arrive before your appointment, come anyway. We can request them afterward with your authorization, and the consultation itself is driven by your history far more than by any single document.
What Not to Do
Do not stop prescribed medications on your own before a new physician has reviewed them. Do not discard old results because they were normal — normal results across time are diagnostically useful. And do not arrive with a self-diagnosis you are unwilling to revisit; strong theories are welcome, closed ones are not.
The most valuable thing you carry into a new practice is not a diagnosis. It is an accurate, honest chronology.
Ready to start?
Call 856-489-0505 to schedule a complimentary consultation. We will tell you exactly which records are worth chasing.
Schedule a ConsultationFrequently Asked Questions
- How do I request my medical records?
- Submit a written request to each provider office, usually through their patient portal or a records request form. Ask for labs, imaging reports, and consultation notes rather than only visit summaries. Allow about two weeks.
- Do I have to leave my current doctor to be seen here?
- No. Most of our patients keep their primary care physician and specialists. We are usually an addition to your care team rather than a replacement.
- What if my records have not arrived by my appointment?
- Come anyway. The consultation is driven primarily by your history. We can request outstanding records afterward with your authorization.
Innovative Medical Associates
Patient Care Team · Innovative Medical Associates
