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I turn patients away. I don’t do it all the time, but once a week or so. Calling with an unusually complex case? Not me. Been through multiple other neurologists without luck? Nope. Have a rare disease that I’ve never seen? I’m not your man. Sorry.
My secretary knows my preferences very well and often checks with me before scheduling someone. If there are still questions she’ll have them send records for me to review.
I’m never looking to turn away business or people who need help, but I also know my limitations. If I can’t help someone, or if they have a rare and/or complicated disorder that’s out of my league, why waste their time and mine? I’m at least lucky enough to practice in a city that has two major neurology tertiary care centers, and my staff gives out their phone numbers when needed.
I hear other doctors try to justify these things, often on financial grounds: "I’ll get an EEG/EMG/whatever" out of it. In almost all of these cases, the patient has already had the tests from previous physicians (sometimes multiple times), and to me, repeating them is often an exercise in futility.
My office website says that I’m a general neurologist who’s a "jack-of-all-trades, and master of none." I try to live by that ideal. If I can’t help a patient, I think it’s more important that they be directed to someone who can than waste their time with me.
I still try to consider patient care above other factors. If seeing me is just going to delay someone from getting the care they need, why bother?
Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz. E-mail him at [email protected].
I turn patients away. I don’t do it all the time, but once a week or so. Calling with an unusually complex case? Not me. Been through multiple other neurologists without luck? Nope. Have a rare disease that I’ve never seen? I’m not your man. Sorry.
My secretary knows my preferences very well and often checks with me before scheduling someone. If there are still questions she’ll have them send records for me to review.
I’m never looking to turn away business or people who need help, but I also know my limitations. If I can’t help someone, or if they have a rare and/or complicated disorder that’s out of my league, why waste their time and mine? I’m at least lucky enough to practice in a city that has two major neurology tertiary care centers, and my staff gives out their phone numbers when needed.
I hear other doctors try to justify these things, often on financial grounds: "I’ll get an EEG/EMG/whatever" out of it. In almost all of these cases, the patient has already had the tests from previous physicians (sometimes multiple times), and to me, repeating them is often an exercise in futility.
My office website says that I’m a general neurologist who’s a "jack-of-all-trades, and master of none." I try to live by that ideal. If I can’t help a patient, I think it’s more important that they be directed to someone who can than waste their time with me.
I still try to consider patient care above other factors. If seeing me is just going to delay someone from getting the care they need, why bother?
Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz. E-mail him at [email protected].
I turn patients away. I don’t do it all the time, but once a week or so. Calling with an unusually complex case? Not me. Been through multiple other neurologists without luck? Nope. Have a rare disease that I’ve never seen? I’m not your man. Sorry.
My secretary knows my preferences very well and often checks with me before scheduling someone. If there are still questions she’ll have them send records for me to review.
I’m never looking to turn away business or people who need help, but I also know my limitations. If I can’t help someone, or if they have a rare and/or complicated disorder that’s out of my league, why waste their time and mine? I’m at least lucky enough to practice in a city that has two major neurology tertiary care centers, and my staff gives out their phone numbers when needed.
I hear other doctors try to justify these things, often on financial grounds: "I’ll get an EEG/EMG/whatever" out of it. In almost all of these cases, the patient has already had the tests from previous physicians (sometimes multiple times), and to me, repeating them is often an exercise in futility.
My office website says that I’m a general neurologist who’s a "jack-of-all-trades, and master of none." I try to live by that ideal. If I can’t help a patient, I think it’s more important that they be directed to someone who can than waste their time with me.
I still try to consider patient care above other factors. If seeing me is just going to delay someone from getting the care they need, why bother?
Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz. E-mail him at [email protected].