Switching Providers: A Patient's Guide to Continuity of Care
Marie Perkowski, CRNP, FNP-BC ·
I wrote this for anyone thinking about switching providers — whether your provider retired, moved, changed their model, or simply isn't the right fit anymore. The goal is to make the information easy, honest, and in your hands.
— Marie Perkowski, CRNP, FNP-BC
Here's what you actually need to know.
Why continuity matters
Most care isn't like refilling a prescription. Your plan was individualized over time based on your labs, your symptoms, and how your body responded. A new provider can't just repeat what you had — they have to understand your trajectory to pick up where you left off safely.
Gaps in care matter too. Depending on what you were doing and how long you've gone without it, you may notice changes in energy, mood, sleep, or how you feel day to day. That's one reason to find continuity care sooner rather than later.
What to gather before your first visit
Before you book with a new provider, pull together whatever you can:
- A list of what you're currently doing and when you started
- Your most recent labs (within the last 6 months is ideal)
- Dates of your most recent visits, sessions, or procedures
- Any symptom notes you've kept
- Anything that didn't work for you in the past
If you can't access these yet — records transfer can take time — don't let that stop you from booking. A good provider will order fresh labs and work from where you are now.
How records transfer works in Pennsylvania
Under PA law, you have a right to your medical records. You can request them in writing from your current or former practice at any time. If you need help, your new provider's office can often assist with the request.
What to look for in a new provider
Not every practice is set up for continuity. Ask:
- Do they take a complete history, or start from scratch?
- Do they source from vetted 503A compounding pharmacies?
- Will they re-check your labs before continuing care?
- Will they adjust based on your prior response, not a standard protocol?
- Are they available between visits if you have questions about how you're feeling?
Chain practices and franchise clinics often run standardized protocols. That works for some patients. It doesn't work well when your care has already been fine-tuned by someone else.
What to have ready, by service
- Hormone replacement therapy (injections, creams, patches, troches, or pellets): your current delivery method, schedule, last pellet insertion date if applicable, and most recent hormone labs.
- Medical weight loss: your current program, how long you've been on it, recent weight and body composition trends, and any side effects.
- Peptide therapy: what you've used, for how long, and how you responded.
- Acellular exosome-based care: dates and areas of prior sessions.
- Advanced testing: copies of any recent lab panels, so nothing is repeated without reason.
A thoughtful provider will use your history + current labs + symptoms to decide next steps, not a calendar date. Any treatment that may be considered is decided only after a clinical evaluation.
How AlphaCore handles continuity of care
At AlphaCore Health, patients transitioning from another practice are treated as continuity care first, new patients second. That means we work from your history, not a blank slate. We review whatever records you can bring, re-check labs, and discuss where your care was and where you want it to go.
For hormone care, 90-day HRT packages range from $600–$1,299, depending on your individualized delivery method, dosing, and hormone combinations, with pellets included when clinically chosen. Labs are billed separately by the lab. Every pharmacy we use is vetted for regulatory compliance.
Continuity care isn't about repeating what you had. It's about understanding what you had and refining it based on where you are now.
Book a free 15-minute discovery call
If you're in the Lehigh Valley or anywhere in Pennsylvania and you're looking for a new provider, book a free 15-minute discovery call. We'll talk through where you are, what you need, and whether AlphaCore is the right fit. No pressure.
Call (484) 275-0573 or visit alphacorehealth.com.
Disclaimer
This is for educational use only, not medical advice. Pellet therapy requires individual clinical evaluation. Outcomes vary and are not guaranteed. Consult with a provider before starting, changing, or continuing any medication or hormone therapy.
— Marie Perkowski, CRNP, FNP-BC · RN 21 years · NP 14 years · Functional Medicine Certified