Concierge Medicine

It was a beautiful January day…the sun was shining; the air was crisp. It was a great day to get my annual mammogram out of the way. I walked into the facility with great confidence as I knew I was just ‘checking a box’ in my annual health screenings. I have had mammograms annually for years, and never had a hint that anything would be, could be, wrong.

I went to my usual Metro Imaging location in St. Louis, Missouri. This was my facility of choice as they give immediate results. I am not a good wait and see person. After the first image was done, the technician commented on ‘some hanging tissue.’ She went back to images from the previous year and remarked that ‘the tissue was also in previous images.’ I was a little concerned, but I got the ‘everything is okay’ letter from the previous year. All is good. Right?

A few days later I received a letter saying there were ‘suspicious findings’ on my mammogram. I needed to schedule a diagnostic mammogram and breast ultrasound. I called Metro Imaging to schedule the appointment and to hopefully talk to someone who could answer questions and alleviate fears. But who would that person be? The woman who scheduled the appointment was nice. She could tell I was apprehensive. She could not answer any questions. I called into my OB/GYN’s office. I ‘did not need to talk to’ the doctor, I was told. Just ‘go have the test and we will get a copy of the results,’ she added. But, I WANTED to talk to a doctor. These doctors' gatekeepers are great at their jobs - if their purpose is to keep patients from talking to doctors. It reminds me of the line in the Wizard of OZ…’Nobody can see the Great Oz. Not nobody, not knowhow.’ Two weeks later I went in for the diagnostic mammogram and breast ultrasound.

The following week I received a letter saying there were ‘suspicious findings’ on my diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. I needed a breast MRI. This time I took the first available appointment two weeks later at Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur, Missouri. The MRI technician was great. She knew I was nervous. She answered questions about the procedure but not about results. I ‘needed to talk to a doctor,’ she said. That was sound advice. However, easier said than done. Several days later, late on a Monday night, I received a text saying something like ‘Your test results are available on MyMercy. Your doctor is getting these results at the same time as you. If you want to wait to look at the results giving your doctor time to review them, please wait 24 hours.’ I waited five or six hours. At 2 am, I opened MyMercy. I saw all the words I understood, without help from any doctor. 'Benign. Lymph nodes clear.’ I quickly thanked God and went to bed. Several hours later, I received another notification that MyMercy had been updated. I quickly logged in. The report that contained the words ‘Benign. Lymph nodes clear,’ had been removed. That was sent in error. I called Mercy Breast Center. I was patched over to a nurse. I needed a breast biopsy. I questioned the ‘Benign. Lymph nodes clear.’ Same conversation. Different day. Mistake was made. I needed further testing. My question, ‘Can I talk to a doctor?’ The nurse replied, ‘They would tell you the same thing I am telling you.’ I made the appointment the following week for a breast biopsy.

Six weeks into this extremely stressful process, I actually had my first conversation with a medical doctor. I met Dr. Jason K. Skyles, the Diagnostic Radiologist doing my biopsy - 15 minutes prior to having the procedure done. He was ‘sorry about the letter going out with benign and lymph nodes clear. Things happen.’ I had the biopsy. Results: Benign.

I knew as soon as this process ended, I would enroll in Concierge Medicine as quickly as possible. As I evaluated Concierge Medicine, I liked the description. 'Take back control of your healthcare. Get the care you deserve.' I want a doctor that I know, who knows me, that I can call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The stakes are too high in medicine. Your life truly hangs in the balance. Between text messages, virtual visits, emails, online portals, exceptional gatekeepers, Physician’s Assistants and Nurse Practitioners, the ability to see or talk to a medical doctor is becoming increasingly difficult.

Significant medical advances and lifesaving cures get one step closer every single day. Medical doctors get one step further away.

Concierge Medicine decision confirmed.

Several weeks ago, my mom had knee replacement surgery at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. Following the surgery, her blood pressure remained low for several days. Late one evening, a nurse came in and said the hospitalist ordered a blood transfusion. My mom had many questions, ‘Why?’ ‘What is the benefit?’ ‘Who is the hospitalist that ordered this?’ ‘Is that person here?’ ‘Can I talk to them?’ The hospitalist never came to my mom’s room. The hospitalist was 'not available.' My mom did not know what to do or who to call. She did not have the transfusion. She is fine today. As I saw my mom grapple with who to call to get answers, I knew I had made the right decision to enroll in Concierge Medicine. I hope my mom makes that decision to enroll in Concierge Medicine, too.