They say breaking up is hard to do… unless it’s with the front desk that never sent your MRI results and still calls you “ma’am” behind gritted teeth. Here’s how to cut the cord when you’re being billed like you’re at a med spa but being treated like you’re at a seedy clinic:
Write It Down So There’s a Trail 📝
You’re not just leaving, you’re documenting. Keep it short and clear. Think: “Effective today, I am terminating care. Please send my records to me in digital format.” Bonus points for CC’ing your attorney if he ever needs to subpoena this nonsense.
Don’t Call. Email or Fax That Breakup 📧
Why? So they can’t lie. You’re not giving Karen at the front desk a chance to say “she never said that.” Email it. Fax it. Carrier pigeon it. Send a message in a bottle. Do what you have to do to keep your receipts. Just don’t say it over the phone because they will pretend it never happened.
Do Not Engage Again 📵
Once you’ve sent your termination and records request, you do not owe them another conversation. If they call, don’t answer. If they try to get you to explain, don’t. You’re not obligated to make it right; they already didn’t.
Request Your Full Records (Yes, Even the Awkward Notes) 🗂️
Ask for everything. Treatment notes, billing statements, referrals, imaging CDs that you’ll never use (because who uses CDs in 2026?), and even those cryptic notes where they wrote “patient seems anxious.” Never mind the fact that they are the reason for your frayed nerves. You’re not just leaving, you’re starting fresh.
Don’t Argue With the Staff 😤
Let’s just say it: these people are morons. This is not the time to re-litigate why they double billed you or pretended that they didn’t know how to spell your simple American name for the 9th time. Grab your things and get away from the clowns who ironically used you as their entertainment.
Be Ready for Some Passive-Aggression 😒
The tone will shift. They will “forget” to send your records. They might throw in a weird line like, “We’re sorry we couldn’t meet your expectations.” And by “expectations” they mean basic customer service and respect and competency. That’s okay. You’re still not going back, ever.
Forward That Confirmation to Your Legal Team 🤝
Your lawyer (or future lawyer) needs to know you ended care and when. That timestamp could matter later so screenshot and archive it. If you have a professional legal team they are truly your advocates and they should always stay in the loop.
Don’t Ghost, But Don’t Overshare Either 🤫
You don’t owe them your trauma timeline or your full Google review. Keep it strictly business. Fire them like a Fortune 500 CEO: cold, clean, and covered. These people don’t care about you, so you shouldn’t care about them either.
Move On Like They Never Existed 😎
New office. New vibe. New pain scale. And hopefully, a front desk that doesn’t act like every request is a threat to national security (or more realistically, their egos).
Pro Tip:
If they suddenly start being really nice after you send the termination email, it’s not customer service: it’s fear of a Google review, a malpractice claim, or your attorney finding out they were billing for visits you didn’t attend.
When a doctor’s office stops serving your best interest (whether through medical negligence, billing games, or just plain disrespect), you have every right to walk away. And you don’t need anyone’s permission to do it.