KERIE: re: Your F##($(-ing doctor's office

[Guest guest]

Dear Kerie:

I can very much empathize with your AWOL f##(- doctor. I've experienced this

a few times myself, as a patient, and it is truly infuriating.

However, in your case, I think you have some real recourse, and should be

able to see this doctor again.

I happen to remember a " 60-Minute " segment on the medical malpractice crisis,

which was aired some time last year, shortly after my own myomectomy.

I remember hearing on this TV program that insurance contracts generally (or

is it universally?) state that:

" All visits with the primary or assistant surgeon during the 90-day period

following major surgery are included in the surgical package except for a

problem(s)

unrelated to the diagnosis for which surgery was performed. "

Got that?

In other words, we patients are entitled to be seen by our surgeons an

indefinite number of times in follow-up for any matter relating to the surgery

during the 90 day period AFTER the surgery was performed.

This means that you STILL should be covered by your current insurance

carrier-- with this doctor-- AND NOT HIS PARTNER--if your appointment is on, or

prior

to February 18, 2004.

The reason I remember this particular clause is that my own " f##($ing " doctor

spent ZERO time with me in the hospital after my myo. He was unexpectedly

MIA during my entire hospital stay. He then spent no more than 4 minutes with me

in a rushed one-time only follow-up visit in his office.

For all the information he provided me, I could have done just as well if I

had had the post-op visit with the medical office's cleaning lady. Who doesn't

even speak speak English!!

This gyno answered every specific question I had about my myomectomy with " I

don't know. " sprinkled with a few " I don't remembers. " And yet-- the surgery

had taken place just seven days earlier.

(I have no explanation for his amnesia, except to think he might have been

secretly moonlighting at the time..... as an Enron Executive!!!)

What a shrewd master at cutting corners he was, a minimalist when it comes

to patient care. Obviously, he values his bottom line over anything else.

Whatever info. about my surgery I learned about my surgery,

I gleaned mostly from the surgical and path report--which took me many weeks

to obtain.

However, I could have, on my own, scheduled any number of repeat visits

with that memory-impaired doctor within a 90-day period, which my insurance

company would have paid for.

But I didn't bother to do, because I doubted he would have recovered his

memory in that time or had a sudden attack of renewed sensitivity and caring.

But, to sum up, contact your insurance company to clarify your situation, and

make that appointment as soon as you can get in.

Good Luck!

-Roma

P.S. May I assume by the " f " word in your subject line...that you meant

" FUGITIVE " doctor...huh? (ahem).:-)

> I had my myo on November 18. Before the myo I interviewed many

> doctors until I found one that I am satisfied with. I represent

> people in insurance disputes and in doing that, I have learned to be

> really picky about doctors. At my 2 week follow up visit, my Dr.

> informed me that he is leaving his practice to join another

> practice. He gave me his new contact info. I just called for an

> appt. His new practice does not take my insurance but takes almost

> every other insurance. I am not at liberty to change insurance

> plans right now. The new practice says that I am covered for follow

> up visits only by going to my Drs. former partners. His former

> partners do not have his level of expertise or experience. I want

> to see HIM!!!! I pay through the nose out of my own pocket for

> insurance, and I have large copays and spent too much for medical

> bills already! I left a message for the Dr. to call me. I have a

> feeling that he never got the message because I have not heard from

> him and that is just not like him. When he was at the old practice

> he called me personally many times. I have also called the

> academic office where he is a professor of medicine and I just left

> a message. I cannot believe that I am 7 weeks out of surgery and

> there is not one Dr. office employee who cares an iota about my

> follow up care. I will be seeing my internist this week and I will

> discuss with him but I need a GYN and I feel that i have every right

> to talk to the one who did the surgery.

>