We recommend not responding. If you feel compelled to respond, write something like this: “By responding to this post, I am neither confirming nor denying that you are a patient of my practice. If you would like to discuss the issue, please call my office at _______________.”

If patients come in and mention the negative review, we recommend addressing it as follows: “Yes, I am aware of the review. Unfortunately, anyone can write a review about the practice online – whether they are a patient of mine or not. Being a healthcare provider, I cannot respond. But you are here today, so let’s get started.”

Yes. After a certain number of days off for an illness or injury, for example, three days (minimum required amount to be given under California’s Paid Sick Leave law), employees can be required to provide a note. Please reference state-specific guidelines for sick leave. Furthermore, reference your local ordinance as the city may also have their own paid sick leave laws that you must adhere.

However, you must make certain that every employee is required to adhere to this policy and that the policy is in writing. The required doctor’s note should not seek a diagnosis/medical condition; rather, the note should include only that (the name of employee) was seen on (date) at (time of appointment) and further may stipulate any period of partial or total incapacity to perform a job and if the employee is healthy enough to return to work.

Dispose of old patient charts by burning or shredding them. Do not simply throw them in the trash, as they include confidential information that you have a duty to protect. Hiring records disposal companies that specialize in destroying records by burning or shredding is preferable. Because the Environmental Protection Agency does not permit the burning of radiographs, we recommend shredding them. Whether you destroy them yourself or hire a company, keep a log of which records are destroyed, and when. This practice will assist you in identifying which records are unavailable in the event they are requested later.

When searching for a company to dispose of records, look for companies listed as specializing in legal or law records disposal. This may yield a wider range of options than simply looking under dental or medical records disposal.

A patient must be notified in writing. TDIC does not recommend dismissing a patient who is mid-treatment, i.e. in a provisional or temporary. You have the option of giving the patient a reason for the dismissal, such as non-compliance if they are not complying with active treatment requirements or necessary appointments. Alternatively, you may choose to dismiss with no reason, if the doctor-patient relationship has a loss of trust. Give the patient a reasonable amount of time to seek a new dentist. Often, 30 days from the date the letter was mailed is sufficient, during which time you agree to see them for emergencies only. You should provide valid referrals for the patient to find a new dentist, such as the local dental society, or refer them back to their insurance carrier, but do not provide specific names of other dentists. TDIC has sample dismissal letters that can be customized by your practice for withdrawing from care for your patients. Please contact a risk management analyst directly for sample letters or if you are unsure about your liability in relation to the dismissal.

Although there are no statutory requirements, it is suggested that medical records be kept for a minimum of 10 years after the last date the patient is seen, if not indefinitely. In regards to minors, records should be kept 10 years from the patient’s last treatment, or seven years past age 18.

Please reference state-specific guidelines for record keeping and record requests.