One of the most common questions we get from older teens is ‘How long will Longwood Pediatrics take care of me? When do I need to move on to a new doctor/clinic?’
We generally take care of you until you are in your early 20s or have graduated from college. Many of our patients end up studying away from Boston in a city they may not stay in. For this reason, we often recommend against transferring out at age 18, because it can be difficult for patients to establish a relationship with a new doctor, only to have to leave again in a few years. We find that college graduation or the early 20s is a good time to transition. Whenever you decide to transition your care out of Longwood Pediatrics, the most important first step is identifying the next provider or clinic where you plan to seek care. You should call the new clinic/provider and make sure that they will accept you into their practice; if they have a registration process, make sure to complete it at that time.
The next step would be to contact us to request a copy of your medical records Record Release Form.
If you have lingering medical issues or questions when you plan to leave Longwood, it may be a good idea to call or visit us to make sure we can make the transition more seamless.
We have also developed a list of local practices that are currently accepting new adult patients and can give you some ideas. Provider panels can fill at times and so it’s always best to call the clinic directly to see who is accepting new patients.