Unsure about where to go

[Teapotimus]

Well, I just learned that my ACHD Cardiologist is gone for good this time. I had seen him in March and we agreed on 6 months checkups/imaging. Called today to setup an appointment for September and was informed he has left the practice, so now there's one other doctor I can schedule with...

Problem is I've never met her but she did the interpretation on one of my echo's and it was so different from all my other imaging that I can't help but wonder (and I was told to ignore her interpretation by my Cardiologist as it was wrong)....

So I figured now would be a good time to establish with a different Hospital in my area, we have Providence and Legacy. Called 2 Providence locations and they won't take me, apparently they refer all their ACHD cases to OHSU, which now has 2 providers.

Called Legacy... Same thing. So, now I'm to believe that in the entire state of Oregon there is one ACHD clinic and it's the only option, the other hospitals won't even take me for imaging/checkups, can't establish as a new patient.... I'm just shocked.

Interestingly the person I spoke with at Providence told me I was the 11th person this year that has told her their Cardiologist left the area.

At this point I'm unsure of what to do, I don't see being able to travel out of state multiple times a year for this.

 

[tom in MO]

Sometimes one needs a referral to open the door of a specialist. Your doctor who left, generally someone in the practice will take you on but you need to ask. If the practice was one person and now is gone, a referral by your primary care physician may open the door.

 

[carolinemc]

Try to see if you can get another cardio at your hospital. Strange that they only have one on staff. And search for at other hospitals in your area. Good luck.

 

[oo0My_Valve0oo]

I don't think i

Well, I just learned that my ACHD Cardiologist is gone for good this time. I had seen him in March and we agreed on 6 months checkups/imaging. Called today to setup an appointment for September and was informed he has left the practice............Interestingly the person I spoke with at Providence told me I was the 11th person this year that has told her their Cardiologist left the area.

In theory, all 11 reports could be from a single cardiologist leaving his practice.

It does not seem impossible that a field of medicine could be poorly represented in an area. There can be politics and/or mismanagement and/or poor representation interfering with anything, whether it is internal, external or both.

Unfortunately you might need to leave the area yourself.

If you asked me how I felt about the care available to me up through the end of last year I would have given a completely different response than what I would say as of April 2023. Things can improve dramatically. I had no cardiologist for a year after mine retired abruptly. I did not receive a replacement. My PCP also left the area about the same time. I received a new PCP and saw her for the first time April 2023. She made a point of referring me to a new cardiologist. This when I had been told to just see the PCP instead of a cardiologist when I described lingering symptoms and asked for a replacement cardiologist. The new PCP and cardiologist are as good as one could hope for.

Good luck!

 

[Teapotimus]

It does not seem impossible that a field of medicine could be poorly represented in an area. There can be politics and/or mismanagement and/or poor representation interfering with anything, whether it is internal, external or both.

That does seem to be the case here in the Portland Metro area. I just can't believe that the other two massive medical groups here won't even establish care for a ACHD patient. Providence and Legacy staff hundreds of Cardiologists, but they told me that ACHD is so specialized they don't feel like they can't provide adequate care hence the referral to OHSU's ACHD clinic. That being said they will do surgery, just not Cardiology or imaging.

The biggest problem with this is the OHSU clinic only has 4 providers now that my Cardiologist is leaving in July. 4 providers for an area of 2 million plus people...

I've met one other guy on the team and don't care for him (outdated and incorrect information, not listening to me, etc...). Further, another person on the team interpreted one of my echo's last year and her interpretation was thrown out by my Cardiologist, and was confirmed to have been way off by my next echo, difficult to trust her opinion.

So that leaves one other person whom I haven't met. She may be great, or not, don't know yet. It's just unfortunate that the only way for me to continue getting imaging is to stick with a clinic that has been far from great overall.

Unfortunately you might need to leave the area yourself.

Yes, I've been coming around to this idea. Sucks though, I have a great job that I enjoy.

My biggest concern is being that I'm in the 'waiting room', if I switch jobs and something happened before FMLA is applicable that could leave me in a very difficult situation.

 

[oo0My_Valve0oo]

Yes that is quite a road you are on to navigate. I can relate being in between three dynamically changing situations........have a work related injury, company is about to restructure potentially eliminating my position and benefits and as yet undetermined problems in health. Time is limited and running out but have to let the work thing run its course at its own pace. Fortunately I just happened to be rapidly getting things done with my personal insurance related items. It unfolded on its own but it would have been the plan to get as much done as possible this year.

Good luck and liking your good job only makes your decisions more difficult. I have a long commute fir hispital events. It is a burden and costly and impractical but I love where I live. Closer to the hospital I would nit be happy living aside from the caveats.