OBGYN change - confused?

I wanted to switch my OBGYN for this pregnancy as my last one was over an hour away and I honestly felt like just a number to them, very cold. Fast forward to today I called a new practice that came highly recommended by many, and they asked why i was leaving the practice. I told them that I didn’t want to be at that practice anymore and the receptionist told me they had to send a message to my prior OB to “make sure it’s ok for me to switch.” How is that even a thing?? It’s my choice to switch and I didn’t even get an appointment, apparently I have to wait for confirmation or the “ok”.?