Very Upset - Ethical questions

[Lilla]

On my answering machine was a message left by my treating doctor's office today.  I have an appt Monday for interpretation of blood work done after 3 weeks.  The message left me was that my doctor (who was in a group of gastro docs) has left and phone number he gave us is _______; your appt Monday is cancelled because he has left this practice.   And, that was it!! I did not return home until after 5 PM and called, but of course, no one answered.  I feel like I've been abandoned and no place to turn. Where's my blood work? Do they still have my records?  I know I can call Monday during bs hours and find this out, but I feel that was so unprofessional. I don't even think I want to call the number they gave me for my doctor that left as I feel he should have contacted his patients or something.   It's bad enough finding out you got Hep C, agonizing over it before tx, then starting tx, and now the doctor vanishes.

[jmjm530]

Show up in person with your husband. GOOD move. Bravo. Make sure you walk out with at least a copy of your most current labs and if you think you won't be using the office, walk out with your entire file. Do let us know how it works out.

-- Jim

[Lilla]

forgot to mention, I live in South West Florida, Sarasota area which is about 50 miles south of Tampa and 60 miles North of Fort Myers.  100 miles from Orlando area.

[Lilla]

thank you all for your comments on this situation. My husband and I will be at the physician's offices Monday early to get to the bottom of this.  All of your opinions and suggestions mean a great deal--thank YOU! I'll post Monday the low-down.

[friole]

What an unfomfortable position you are in.  I believe I would go to the office on Monday and wait until they copy all of your records for you including that bloodwork..  At least if you post it here, we can tell you what we think.  

Question is, did you have confidence in your doctor?  If you did, follow him.  If not, the search is on.

I agree with you -- totally unprofessional and I wonder what is going on.
frijole

[honey11]

That is a weird message!!  They should have called your house and if they got a machine,,,,told you to call there office that afternoon if possible or early Monday as they need to discuss your appt.  Then,,,they can explain and give you alternative on whether you would like to switch over to another dr there or move with your dr if again that is a possibility!  Sounds sudden,,,doesn't it?  Let us know Monday what the heck is going on with your dr? lol

[jmjm530]

Oh, just saw that they gave you the phone number of your doctor. Who knows what goes on in these offices, a lot of politics no doubt, and maybe his exit was unexpected, or contractually he wasn't even allowed to contact the groups patients. If you're happy with the doctor so far, then probably best to get your records from the old place, assuming they haven't been transferred over. But if you have some doubts, you can always start shopping around even while seeing your doctor. Ideally, you don't want to let go of one doctor until you find another who is at least equally as good or better.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

Very unprofessional, so sorry. Call Monday and ask where the doctor went and/or who in the office is covering for the doctor, or who they are referring his patients to.  

If you don't like the answer -- after raisng holy h*ll, start looking elsewhere, preferably for a liver specialist (hepatologist). Regardless of what they say, tell them you want them to fax you a copy of your most recent bloodwork that you were supposed to go over on Monday. After that, you should get copies of your complete medical file. It's always a good idea to have a copy of everything anyway, for any number of reasons including something like this.

Main thing is not to panic. I assume you have enough meds for the next week or so and once you get copies of all reports and bloodwork -- including the one you were going to review -- you can continue on with another doctor if your current doctor is still unavailable. Bottom line is that the meds are what will get you to SVR, the doctors are just there to guide you, or in some cases like yours, make life miserable. You will find another doctor and probably a better one.

Where abouts do you live? Maybe someone nearby can suggest a name or two.

-- Jim

[Kalio1]

Sounds odd to me, obviously something has happened. I would think if it is a group of docs they will have another doc available to take over your case.
Who knows what happened but something sure did.
I wouldn't worry too much if you have your meds on hand, you can straighten it out on Monday.

[orphanedhawk]

  Although it sounds like inconsideration towards the patients in this practice, I'd ( try to) wait before getting angry. We never know whats happening in another persons life. This letter is another reminder to always get copies of our lab work.

[Myown]

Unreal! So they gave you the number where he is going to be working? Did it sound like your appointment is still on but at the new office? What if its too far for you?

I would think that the office is responsible to fit you into the schedule of another doc even if its just to go over the labs.

Also I would want to know why he left. What if he was let go. It doesn't sound like he is a partner of the place, so if he was forced to leave, I would want to know if there was a problem.  

I would imagine they have to get your records to you even if he took them. Thats where you are/were tx. I don't even know if he could legally take them from that office, just guessing though.

[rosebud57]

i am so sorry that you have experienced this abandonment. what a rat.