One of my favorite about being a pediatric oncologist is the amount of time I am able to spend with my patients. All across the country, you will hear doctors grumbling and complaining about insurance companies and practice administrators demanding that they block their schedules in 15 minute increments. This means that exactly one problem can be addressed, and I dare say most of the time not even that well. It’s quite ridiculous and many good doctors are leaving clinical medicine because they are unfulfilled in their abilities to provide good care, but I digress.
Recently I had a tough day in clinic. Something came up unexpected with a patient that was “not cancer”. I honestly spent well over 2 hours with the patient and family and got them connected to at least three resources they needed. It was emotionally taxing and involved a lot of phone calls and shuffling of schedules and other things but it was also very gratifying. Curing a kid with cancer is an amazing feeling, but taking care of the patient and their family from head to toe mentally and physically ….that’s some old school house-calling, black-bag-carrying Dr. Welby stuff right there. And it doesn’t get any better than that.
Tell me your feel good stories as patients or providers!
#morethanfour #ChildhoodCancer365
