As I arrived at the office this morning, I wasn't expecting too much to happen. I didn't have any patients scheduled until later on in the morning, so I figured I'd catch up on updating the website, paying bills, and take care of regular office stuff. I had a chance to review hospital notes and labs on the patient I sent to the ER yesterday due to his worsening kidney function and followed up by text message to several patients - follow up on leg cramps, lab results, coronary calcium CT results, etc. I even had a request from patient to call and go over his medications and to see if I'd be able to see one of his family members.
Every patient I had interacted with today was well managed without the need to be seen in office. As I think back to when I was an employed physician, each of these patients I addressed today, would have to be seen in the clinical setting to manage. Each patient would have to take time out of their day to schedule a visit, undergo the standard insurance verification, complete paperwork and answer questions which have previously been answered, and yes wait to be seen.
On another note, after being open for the past 6 weeks, I finally got the office sign installed today. Window lettering to be added this week on Friday.
Later on in the evening, I received a phone call from a patient who was recently seen in the ER. She was concerned of having side effects to the medications prescribed at her ER visit. After a quick review of her ER records, I saved her another ER visit to address her symptoms and was able to e-prescribe her an alternate medication. I reassured her and will follow up with her in the morning. Some may think this was outside the scope of care since I was home. I say it's what I signed up for, isn't medicine supposed to be 24-7, 365?. Besides the entire interaction took less than 10 minutes. Not bad for taking care of a patient's concerns and possibly saving her from heading back to the ER.
From consultation and clinical recommendations to medication refills and reviewing labs and diagnostic tests, I know I made each of my patient's lives easier today.
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