oh no! I have to find a new PCP!

poet_kelly
on 5/7/12 7:18 am - OH
I'm so unhappy.  I LOVED my PCP.  Today I got a call from her office, wanting to schedule an appt for me to come in to get the results of my labs I had done a couple weeks ago.  I said I didn't need an appt, I just needed to pick up a copy of the lab report.  Apparently the person that phoned me was authorized to schedule me an appt but not to arrange for me to pick up a copy of the lab report, so I had to leave a message for someone else about that.

But the person calling me also told me my PCP is not with the practice anymore!  I will have to see a new doc there!  When I talk to the RN tomorrow about my labs, I will ask her if she can suggest which doc would be a good fit for me.  I hope I  am not going to start having trouble with getting my PCP to order labs and other stuff.  I really, really loved my PCP.  Actually, I think I will try asking if the office knows where she went.  If she moved to a new practice nearby, perhaps she still takes my insurance and I can follow her there.  Losing her really makes me sad.

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com          Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor.  Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me.  If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her.    Check out my blog.

 

lanagirl
on 5/7/12 7:24 am
I'm so surprised you didn't get a letter in the mail informing you! I have had 2 PCP's leave and both times I got a letter a month or so before they left and the 2nd time we did follow her to her new practice. She sees all 4 of my family members so it would have been a HUGE pain to start new. She was in our town and now she's not so that's kind of a pain, but you can't have it all I guess! I would totally ask where she went and why you didn't find out before now! Good luck.
     
          
poet_kelly
on 5/7/12 7:30 am - OH
I know why I wasn't notifed.  this is the county clinic for low income people, basically.  they take Medicaid (I think there is only one other place in my town that does) and they do a sliding scale if your income is low.  I started going there before I had Medicare, so I could go elsewhere now but just kept on there because I liked my PCP so much there.  But they don't always do the courteous kind of thing most practices would do.  I think they figure they don't need to, because most of their patients don't have any other option.  Customer service is often, though not always, poor at those kinds of places.

the mental health agency in my county that treats most of the Medicaid patients here (I think it is the only place in my town now that takes Medicaid for mental health) and does a sliding scale for low income people provides HORRIBLE service.  But their patients don't have any other option.  If they want care, that's where they have to go.

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com          Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor.  Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me.  If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her.    Check out my blog.

 

rhondanewme
on 5/7/12 8:40 am, edited 5/7/12 8:40 am - Grantsboro, NC
Sorry you have to deal with that on top of everything else. Maybe you can follow her. I hated it when my PCP's PA left- she was great & I liked her much better than the doc. Now my WLS surgeon has left that practice and moved to a new one so I had to decide whether to follow him or stay & see the other 2 docs there. They prefer lap band to all other WLS although I think they may still do RNY. My guy does not have much use for Lapband so I guess that's what prompted the move!
  HW- 297      SW- 280      GW- 178       LW-  184      CW- 190

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference...

WE CAN DO HARD THINGS!!!
(deactivated member)
on 5/7/12 10:01 am - TX
RNY on 06/11/12
WOW Kelly, I hope you get the follow. Mine moved to a new clinic because of a feud with other doctors. Somehow she sent me a letter in the mail 30 days after she moved letting me know where she went. It is a further drive for me but well worth it. I don't know if our political environment these days is having anything to do with all these moves or not. But I hope this is the last of you having to find new doctors.
bridie_53
on 5/7/12 10:29 am - IL
RNY on 05/16/12
 Good luck Kelly! I am so sorry that you had another stressor added to your life. Stay strong!
                
FleurDeLis
on 5/7/12 11:25 am
The internet can be your friend in finding her. A number of practices also put ads in the newspaper when they take on a new associate. The local medical society, which often puts out a directory for it members, might also know eventually. She also has to have hospital privileges somewhere or will soon.
poet_kelly
on 5/7/12 11:28 am - OH
I'll check that out.  Do PCP's usually have hospital privileges, though?  I don't think they usually admit patients to hospitals these days, do they?  Wouldn't they be more likely to refer you to a specialist if you had something serious enough to require hospitalization?  But I'm gonna try looking her up online right now.

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com          Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor.  Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me.  If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her.    Check out my blog.

 

poet_kelly
on 5/7/12 11:33 am - OH
OK, I see her listed online still at the old practice, but I also see her listed with a different practice in a nearby town.  So I will call the other practice tomorrow and see if she is currently working there.  It would be a bit of a drive for me, maybe 40 minutes, but I think I would be willing to do it.  It also says online she has hospital privileges at a hospital in that other town.  So I can probably call that hospital too and see if they know where she is now.

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com          Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor.  Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me.  If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her.    Check out my blog.

 

qnmimi
on 5/7/12 4:59 pm - Cottage Grove, MN
You're right Kelly, many hospitals have Hospitalists on staff to care for you while you are there, but most of the doctors in my hospital & it's affiliated clinics do hospitalist shifts too. When you call a referral line, they basically give you the name of whoever is the newest, and/or has the most openings (not necessarily a good thing) If you are willing to drive the distance, I say stick with what you prefer.
    
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