Jan and Barney Dougher

Barney doesn't dislike doctors but he hates to wait.  And he runs a large business so he's used to being in control.  We needed to find a doctor that Barney would see more than once and that he could build a relationship with.  Someone that could act as a “quarterback” to help him with his medical issues.  I’m a nurse, so I asked the doctors I worked with who they would see and they recommended Dr. Scott Yates.  Barney went to see him.

And did you join also?

Well, I had a doctor I liked.  But just a few weeks later, I had an abnormal mammogram.  The four days it took to get the biopsy results were tough.

When the radiologist called to give me the news, I froze.  Cancer.   I’m used to telling patients and families to stay calm, ask questions and focus on getting better but I couldn’t do that for myself. 

I had to call the radiologist back – I could tell others to “take it one step at a time” but it was tough for me to do.  The radiologist recommended a surgeon but my internist recommended an oncologist.  I had cancer and I was scared.  And the conflicting recommendations made me even more concerned.  Did these doctors not talk to each other?

Barney knew who to call and though I'd never seen him in the office, Dr. Yates called me on my cell phone to reassure me.  Before I even met with Dr. Yates, he was already contacting the top surgeon, breast cancer oncologist, and radiation specialist.  It turns out Barney and I both needed a “quarterback” but for different reasons.  I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders.  For the first time in my life, I was relieved to let someone else take control of a medical issue and guide me.

Dr. Yates was able to get everything scheduled quickly so that my oldest daughter could be here. Special tests that the oncologist wanted were done on the tumor specimen and she had the results even before she saw me.  What could take weeks and weeks was reduced to a matter of days! 

How are things going now?

I’m cancer free.  I still see the oncologist regularly.  That mammogram your doctor says you should have…don’t skip it!  My mammogram saved my life.

When I first heard the term “concierge medicine” I laughed about it.  I also thought that it was out of my reach.  I was so wrong.  Now that I’ve been through this experience, I know how important it is to have this type of relationship with my doctor.  I can't imagine not having Dr. Yates as my personal physician.   I know that I can trust him to do whatever is best for me. This practice is about giving the best healthcare available to each individual patient.

Barney adds, “As I have told many it was the best money I have ever spent.  Like having a doctor in the Family.”

Jan Dougher