Got me thinking about, "The Old Family Doctor," which we used to have years ago. Doc Mills saw us thorough a lot. He delivered Melissa, our daughter, quit doing that when Brad was born. Then he just quit, or retired. I think, in my opinion only, he saw the handwriting on the wall, all the headaches with medicine as it is today, so he surrendered, sold out to the hospital.
My Dad was a GP, family practice, home and office together. Don't see that much any more. Even he succumbed in '43 and specialized, OBGYN. I saw him cry, his last night as a GP. He saw his last patient, he sent his nurse home, slowly turned out his office lights, and came through the door that separated the house from his office. He saw down in his chair, and softly cried. He saw there that way for the longest time. Mom and I went on up to bed, not sure how long he sat there. Doubt that you would see that happen today. Tears might be shed, as a stock price goes down, or a college loan is due.
After a three months wait, I have my own "family" doctor, had to wait three months to get in, but I now have my very own. Right here in the neighborhood, no, not exactly, probably ten miles away, and, after today, my wife has an appointment with him and he will be a "family" doctor to us both. It is so embarrassing to be asked, "Who is your family doctor?"
"I have none."
Since Mills, we have gone to the same office he sold to the hospital, and had a differently doctor each year, almost. But, we have all that knowledge stored up in the "computer" .... that network between many, or almost all of the doctors in our community, and, THE hospital. All of our information and history is there, down to the smallest medical detail. The doctor sees it, the nurses at the hospital see it, all have access to that mountain of information. Makes me wonder, why, with such a network, I have to answer the same stupid questions each time I am either at the doctor or the hospital.
Mills used to have a manila folder, with my name on it, and if he needed to know the answer to a question, he would look in the manila folder, it was all there. Now, the nurse enters the examining room, sits down on that little turny, turny stool, turns on the computer, the screen lightens up, she looks at me, and says, "What can we do for you today?" ...... and then, later, often, much later, the doctor comes in, introduces himself, you relate the same information to him, he artistically removes the stethoscope from his neck, listens your back, deftly taps the back with his index finger, gives you a loving pat on the back, and walks out.
As you leave, you stop by the last office, pick up a prescription, get a little "Appointment" card, and leave. Pay, oh yes, you pay upon entering. I look at my wife and ask, "What was his name, again?"
