Amendment #46 to H4643

Physician/Patient Termination Notice

Miss Gregoire of Marlborough moves to amend the amendment by striking out section 130 and inserting in place thereof the

following section:

"SECTION 130. Said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 5O the following section:

Section 5P. (a) Any physician licensed by the board who intends to terminate an ongoing bona fide physician-patient relationship due to a change in the physician’s practice, including but not limited to the intended sale, relocation or closure of the practice, shall notify the patient in writing not less than 90 days prior to the date of such termination in a manner prescribed through guidance established by the board. The requirements of this section may be satisfied through notice otherwise consistent with the requirements of this section delivered by the physician’s employing entity, including, but not limited to, a physician practice registered pursuant to section 4A.

(b) The notice required under this section shall also offer the patient resources to assist in finding a substitute health care provider and include the name and contact information for the entity assuming responsibility for the management of the patient’s medical records. Any physician who terminates a physician-patient relationship without providing notice to a patient as provided for in this section shall be subject to discipline by the board of registration in medicine".