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If your surgeon has been suspended, first check the relevant state medical board’s current license record and the suspension order. Then contact the practice or hospital to establish who is responsible for your care, ask your health plan for in-network alternatives, verify any replacement surgeon’s credentials and availability, and arrange a secure transfer of your records. The suspension’s effect and any transition duties depend on the state and the terms of the order.
1. Confirm whether the suspension is active
Search the medical board website for the state where the surgeon practiced. Check that you have the right clinician, look at the current license status, and read the latest order, including its effective date and any conditions. A status label or an old appointment notice may not tell you what the surgeon is currently permitted to do.
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Rules and order terms differ by jurisdiction. For example, the Georgia Composite Medical Board says a suspended license means the provider has been ordered to stop practicing medicine in Georgia until the board permits practice again. That definition is specific to Georgia; check the board and order that apply to your surgeon. Georgia also cautions that a public order does not necessarily mean a doctor is currently under discipline: Georgia Composite Medical Board consumer FAQs. California explains that license profiles, disciplinary orders, and other public documents have distinct meanings: Medical Board of California: Finding Information on Your Doctor.
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2. Find out who is handling your care now
Call the surgeon’s office or group practice and, if your procedure took place at a hospital or surgical facility, contact that facility too. Ask for clear answers to these questions:
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- Who is the licensed clinician responsible for follow-up questions and post-operative care?
- Who will manage an upcoming procedure, appointment, pending test result, or prescription question?
- Who holds your medical records, and how do you request them?
- Should you keep, cancel, or reschedule existing appointments?
Ask promptly if you need a wound check, have a pending result, or are concerned about a time-sensitive treatment issue. Contact a licensed treating clinician about medical concerns rather than waiting for your replacement-surgeon search to finish. The North Carolina Medical Board’s guidance on practice departures describes continuity measures that may include records access, referrals, or prescription refills when appropriate; what applies depends on the situation and local rules. Its position statement was amended in January 2025: North Carolina Medical Board: Departures from or Closings of Medical Practices.
3. Find surgeons who can see you and take your plan
Start with your insurer or employer benefits office. Ask for surgeons in the relevant specialty and geographic area who are in network, accepting new patients, and able to treat your condition or perform the planned procedure. Texas Medical Board recommends checking a health plan’s provider list but does not select or recommend individual providers: Texas Medical Board: Patient Information and Medical Records.
If you have Medicare, use Medicare Care Compare to search for clinicians as one source of options. CMS describes clinician profiles and selected procedure-utilization, affiliation, and performance information through its Doctors and Clinicians Initiative. Profile information can help with screening, but it is not a universal quality ranking or a guarantee that a surgeon is right for your case.
For each candidate, call the office to confirm details that a directory may not settle:
- Whether the surgeon is in your plan’s network and accepts new patients.
- Whether you need a referral or prior authorization, and which facility is involved.
- Whether the surgeon has relevant privileges or affiliations for the procedure you need.
- The earliest appointment and whether the office can coordinate the follow-up your treatment requires.
4. Check credentials and fit before choosing
Verify each candidate’s current license through the medical board in the state where the surgeon practices, and review any public orders or restrictions. Read the underlying documents and dates rather than relying only on a summary status. Then check specialty training and relevant board certification separately. California notes that specialty certification is voluntary and distinct from the practice specialty shown on a license profile.
Ask the surgeon about experience with your particular condition and operation, the alternatives and risks, where the procedure would take place, and who will provide follow-up. Consider logistics and communication as well as credentials. When comparing options, look at:
- Current license status and any public restrictions.
- Specialty training and certification relevant to your care.
- Experience with the specific procedure and condition.
- Network participation, referral or authorization requirements, and expected costs.
- Facility location and relevant affiliation.
- Appointment timing and capacity to manage follow-up.
- Whether your questions are answered clearly and you feel comfortable with the care plan.
5. Request records and make the handoff
Request your records in writing from the former practice or the person or organization that holds them. Name the new surgeon or practice as the recipient, provide its contact details, and include the appointment date if you have one. Ask whether the custodian requires an authorization form or identity verification and how records will be sent securely.
Depending on your case, ask about operative notes, imaging, pathology reports, medication lists, and the follow-up plan. Under HIPAA, people generally have a right to access health information held by covered entities, subject to limited exceptions. HHS says a covered entity may require a written request if it informs patients of that requirement, and identity verification procedures must not create a barrier or unreasonable delay. State rules may add practical requirements. See HHS: Individuals’ Right under HIPAA to Access their Health Information and HHS: Your Medical Records. Texas, for example, sets state-specific request procedures in its patient guidance.
After the transfer, ask the new office to confirm it received the records and tell you whether anything important is missing. Make sure you know which clinician is handling pending results, post-operative checks, and medication questions while care changes hands.
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