Of course, I did! Minus the occasional work place drama between the other PCPs, I really like my job. I really enjoy taking care of my current patient panel. They are the nicest group of patients I’ve ever had! In fact, after my big trip, they were more interested in talking about my trip than their medical problems.
We have such a great relationship that they come to me for anything instead of going to the hospital. Prior to my trip, I even had 30 days of 0 patients in the hospital. This was a HUGE deal. Apparently, I was the only PCP in the market that had ever accomplished this.
Just a reminder all of our patients are 65+ years old with many co-morbidities, so out of a patient panel of 300-400 patients, there is usually at least one patient in the hospital at any given time. The fact that my patients avoid the hospital and come to me instead for any urgent issues means they trust me.
In fact, as soon as I went on my trip a bunch of my patients went to the ER for any little thing. The moment I came back they stopped. To the point that I was able to once again, have another 30 days of 0 patients in the hospital! And it’s not because I have the least sick patients. There is a scoring system we use, and my panel is the sickest panel in my clinic.
Leadership was impressed so they gave me an extra bonus (not conditional to me extending).
Once I came back from my trip and realized I actually missed my patients, I agreed to extend. Unfortunately, the extension is brief, only an extra 6 weeks. This is because I need to get out of Chicago before it starts snowing like crazy (Miami native here).
There is a new physician starting this month to take over my panel. By me extending I am providing a warm hand off. It will take her 3 months to accumulate my panel but at least the patients can be stable by the time they get to her; and I can give her some insight into the more complex ones.
Some of my patients know I am leaving. They found out when they tried to get their relatives to transfer to me and the front desk told them I would be leaving soon. I joked with the patients that I was going to Miami for winter, as some of them are going to Mexico for winter.
I told them a new doctor that is also Spanish speaking would be taking care of them when I am gone. They said that’s fine but asked when winter is over will I come back and can they transfer back to me? I kindly smiled and said “we will see.” Because honestly, you never know.
Awesome!