Well, there he is folks. The Doctor. It seems I've had a lot of trouble with retaining Doctors and I've come to think it must be ME. When I first moved to this little burg I had no difficulty finding a doctor. Crouch, it was. He was very good for me. During his tenure I developed hypertension that was discovered during an "episode" that he diagnosed quickly and during which I was hospitalized for a few days. He discovered the correct prescription medicines for me to keep this problem under control (if I behaved) and all went well for several years.
Then, lo and behold, the young Dr. Crouch and his pretty wife and baby up and move to Florida (I'm sure now it was to get away from me).
No problem. He was in a group of family physicians so all I had to do was pick one. Problem. So which one? I decided the simplest thing to do was to interview them. So I scheduled an appointment with the "looker" above and paid the office call charge to perform the interview. Instead of taking offense, he got a real charge out of it. Rolled with the flow and discovered an immediate rapport. He got the job.
He's been with me through back surgeries, hypertension medication adjustments, pap smears and confessions. My all-around great doctor.
GET THIS !!! He has deserted me! Gone on to bigger things at his ripe, sweet age. I understand our government is opening a VA clinic in our town and he will be the medical director. Grrrrrrrrrr. I am NOT a veteran, alas. No more pap smears for him! I truly am developing a neurotic feeling that I am too much for the doctors around here.
Okay, so I will pick another one in my practice. I know all the nurses, the front desk gals, etc., etc. NO..... none of them are accepting Dr. _____'s patients. I have great insurance. I am being blackballed here.
So this time around, after spending a day on the phone and finding that no one accepts new patients, I have lowered my standards and am now begging my Mother's doctor to "accept" me as a patient. No longer am I the interviewER, I am now the candidate. It is a contest here.
I saw my desertion Doctor in the grocery store this afternoon. He politely says hello and remarks that I look great. I tell him that I hope he's happy in his new position and how much I miss him. Damn, I wish I didn't have to be so polite. Those were NOT my thoughts.
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Maybe some of the doctors will have some open slots as the veterans begin switching over to the new clinic, and the shortage will begin to ease. My husband, who is a veteran, has received several mailings about the new clinic. He is thinking that he will give it a try. We were impressed that they snagged such a good doctor to work there.
Genevieve,
Your husband is a lucky man! He is a more than competent doctor who LISTENS to his patients with not only his expertise, but his compassion. He stays on top of new procedures and medications. I have even called his home (once) during an extreme emergency with no negative feedback. Can you tell that I miss him???
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