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switching docs in the same practice - a bad idea?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 8/23/2007 9:28 AM (GMT -7)
I've been planning on switching docs and as I've been inquiring - a friend of mine recommended her GI - thinks he great, the whole 9 yards.  So, as I go to check and see if he's on my insurance I find that he's a doc in the same practice as my current doc - the doc I want to leave.

I'm not sure it's a good idea to switch to one of my doc's colleagues. I'd never bad-mouth her, but since the new doc will know her personally he might have opinions towards me for dumping her and switching to him.

Is this a bad idea? Should I just find someone, somewhere else? Opinions?

Posted 8/23/2007 9:41 AM (GMT -7)
I switched because a specialist asked me to. I'm not entirely happy with my new doc though, so I'm thinking of switching back. I see no reason why you can't switch. Just tell the new doc you heard so many good things about him, don't say anything about the other doc, you may end up needing to use her in an emergency situation (my doc that I left was my doc during my last hospital stay because I was admitted through the ER).
Posted 8/23/2007 9:43 AM (GMT -7)
I don't know if you are in a large or small city.....I am in a medium/large sized city-and a lot of the Drs. know each other, anyway. I have had one of my Drs. call another Dr. that I left about records so I think you may run that risk wherever you go. You might as well go to the Dr. you really want to see. :-) JMO

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Posted 8/23/2007 10:47 AM (GMT -7)
Hi! I have been a nurse for a long time and have never seen this happen, in the hospital anyway. It's because they have to cover each other, and one is always better/different than the other. It took me a long time to find an internist that had partners I liked. Now, if you talk to your present doc, and tell her you would rather have a male doc, that might work. He will of course have complete access to your chart, but if he's a good doc, he will form his own opinion. Good luck. and let us know.
Posted 8/23/2007 11:32 AM (GMT -7)
I agree with judyk89. I have had that experience 2x. One with a primary care physician and the other with a mental health therapist but in both cases, they were in the same practice so it was kind of awkward at first but now I don't even think twice about it. In fact I am glad I made the move because the new physicians were wonderful. I would definately not bad mouth the old dr just say that you heard from word of mouth from a friend how great this new dr is and you wanted to see for yourself. You need to advocate for your health and if you are unsatisfied with that first doctor, then switch to the other.
Posted 8/23/2007 11:44 AM (GMT -7)
I just did that about 1 1/2 years ago.  I just didn't seem to have a connection to one GI (he actually ticked me off) and asked the nurses for a referral to another.  The recommended my new one who is in the same office as my old.  I have never said anything negative about the other doc, other than I was looking for another opinion as the old one seemed to have run out of ideas for me.  Everything has been fine since.  Go for it, remember they work for you!

Posted 8/23/2007 11:53 AM (GMT -7)
What's more important - getting healthy and having a good doctor, or protecting doctors' feelings and avoiding awkwardness? Remember, YOU and YOUR health are what's important here. You are the customer and it's a free market. Definitely try the other doc. Don't badmouth the old one, just move on and do what's right for you.
Posted 8/24/2007 7:14 AM (GMT -7)
I wanted to change doctors because I had many problems with my old one, like him almost killing me by putting me on too much 6-mp and him not listening to me when I told him I got bad reactions to my pred (diabetes) and 6-mp, but I really liked the clinic and it was recognized for the excellence it had. Anyway, when I talked to the office manager about switching, I was told that they would prefer that I leave the clinic since the doctors covered for each other and worked closely together. My doctor had only been in practice for a year or two so I'll chalk it up to inexperience. Since I really liked the clinic and it was convenient and my insurance covered them I stayed and decided to grin and bear it since I am in remission anyway. My last checkup my doctor said he was leaving the practice and moving to Boston so I'm now going to go to a partner who I had met when I was in isolation last fall. I really liked him. So I guess good things happen to those who wait.
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