Does Physician Retirement Affect Patients? A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Geriatrics
• Health Services Research
• Patient Care

Background:

• Long-term patient-physician relationships are common, particularly for older adults.
• Physician retirement represents a significant disruption to continuity of care.
• The impact of physician retirement on patient outcomes remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize existing literature on the association between physician retirement and patient outcomes.
• To identify potential risks and benefits associated with the transition of care following physician retirement.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of English-language articles from Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and PsycINFO databases was conducted.
• Studies were included if they examined patients whose generalist or specialist physician retired.
• Patient outcomes were categorized, and study quality was assessed by two independent reviewers.

Main Results:

• Seventeen articles met inclusion criteria, predominantly qualitative studies and anecdotes.
• Most reported patient outcomes were unfavorable, including emotional distress, care transition difficulties, adverse clinical events, and increased healthcare costs.
• Qualitative studies indicated patient vulnerability during physician transitions, while quantitative study quality was generally poor.

Conclusions:

• Existing qualitative evidence suggests physician retirement negatively affects patients, highlighting their vulnerability during care transitions.
• There is a significant lack of high-quality quantitative research to confirm these findings and assess impacts on older adults and the healthcare system.