On a Sunday, I started having trouble breathing and called my physician on his cell phone. He requested I go to the Emergency Room at a nearby hospital.
When I arrived at the ER, I gave them my name, and they said they were expecting me. We were taken into a room immediately, and the ER doctor came in and asked, “What issues are you having?” I told him I was having trouble breathing and persistently coughing. He performed an exam and said “l’ll be back.”
While he was gone, my physician walked in. I was surprised to see him. The ER doctor came back and they discussed my past history and current issue. They left the room to discuss further.”
The ER doctor came back and said to me “How are you related?” I told him there was no relation, but a great relationship. He’s my concierge doctor. The ER doctor said, “He is the first doctor I have had come into the ER for a patient. Without him coming in, I would have kept you over night. With him here telling me your history, medications, and previous tests, we can safely send you home. He went on to say that this has never happened before in his long history of being an ER physician.
“Your doctor and I discussed everything, we made good decisions and now I’m sending you home. If everyone came in with their doctors, it would simplify my life and your care and it would save lives.” Having a personal physician is like having a family member as your doctor; he knows us and cares.
Don Dreiske