CLOSING THE OFFICE

On March 4, 2008, my office will be closed. I will not see patients. I will not operate or do colonoscopies. I will not make rounds. I will not write, sign, or read any medical records. I will not teach medical students. I will not open mail, check my email, or return phone calls. All calls to my office will be directed, by an answering machine, to call 911 or report to the nearest emergency room with any true medical emergencies.

I am joining a state-wide coordinated effort to demonstrate physician support for Medical Liability Reform. March 4, 2008, I will join busloads of my colleagues on a trip to Albany for the Medical Society of the State of New York’s annual Legislative Day. Representative physicians will meet with their local representatives to the New York State Senate and with the senators and assemblymen in charge of healthcare.

A medical malpractice crisis exists in New York State and without real reform of existing laws and policies, it will result in limited access to health care. In plain English, YOUR DOCTOR IS STRUGGLING.

In the past year I have taken all of the following drastic measures to meet the rising premiums on my Malpractice Insurance policy, while accommodating heavily discounted reimbursements paid by Medicare and managed care plans:

• Restricted my practice to Colon and Rectal Surgery (in which I have advanced, fellowship training), performing little to no surgery that could be considered general surgery.


• Refrained from taking General Surgery Emergency Room call.


• Terminated my relationship with the lowest paying managed care plans.


• Decreased the number of hours devoted to direct patient care.


• Lost a medical assistant due to our decreased hours.


• Worked without a medical assistant for over seven months.


• Hired my husband as my office manager.


• Typed my own consultation letters.


• Switched billing companies.


• Stopped my answering service.


• Borrowed from family.


• Borrowed from friends.


• Borrowed from credit cards.


• Defaulted on credit cards.


• Defaulted on medical school loans.


• Defaulted on my mortgage.

The check for my most recent premium payment, over $13,000, was posted yesterday at 2p.m., just ten hours before my policy was scheduled to be cancelled. I was overjoyed to care for an office full of patients today, as I will be for the next three months, except, of course, for March 4th.