The Disappearing Doctor
A doctor joins a group. Things seem to go well. The doctor becomes popular in the community. After a few years, things are not so well. Maybe it’s the doctor’s fault. Maybe the group is in turmoil. Maybe it is just a bad fit.
The doctor leaves. Now there are issues: Restrictive covenants; Practice financial deficits; New competition; Unresolved anger issues on both sides.
Patients call. They have grown to trust this doctor.
Staff: “The doctor you want is not available.”
Patient: “Did he leave the practice?”
Staff: “The doctor is not here.”
Patient: “Is the doctor coming back? Is the doctor moving to another practice? Is the doctor dead?”
Staff: “We can’t say.”
As doctors, we do this to ourselves. No wonder we can’t work together to make important changes!
(Editor’s Note: Actually, I see this by hospital employers more than anything else but that picture above is perfect!! DF)
Years ago I was hired to be a medical director in the hospital with a contract that was to be renewed at one year. It was not. I learned they actually hired my replacement before hiring me. However he had a contract that he could not get out of. So I was hired with this hidden information.
I tried to make a go of a private practice. It failed. There were friendly doctors who said they were told not to refer to me. The department secretary was telling my patients how to get a follow up appointment with me. She worked for the hospital for more than 20 years. She was then replaced. My wife called the office and played the role of the daughter of a patient. She was told I literally left one day without warning and no one knew where I was. My attorney said that I should not sue as they would ruin me. They had contracts with nearly all local attorneys. I had to locate one in a nearby city.
I left a practice many years ago, and although I saw no reason for the circumstances not to be amicable, I came into an exam room in my new practice to find an elderly lady softly crying. When I asked her what was wrong, she said, “they told me you was dead.”
Looks like Comrade Stalin nudged that guy overboard.
They are about to lose 2000-3000 patients if the doc is well-liked. They aren’t going to tell anyone where you went, especially if you’re in the same vicinity. Either greed, vindictiveness or both are going to motivate your former colleagues.
Oh, been there done that. Back in the day, trolls in the office I left told my loyal patients that I was no longer in practice. Lovely.
The anger took years to subside.
I had always planned a revenge served cold. But then life just got in the way.
Uncomfortable but appropriate picture of a thoroughly nasty bunch of tyrants and their henchmen. The disappearing Nikolai Yezhov killed his predecessor, Yagoda of the NKVD; a few years later, his slaughter had grown to such a level that Stalin ordered Beria to kill him and take his place.
Perhaps there are too many amoral bureaucrats around our parts these days, too.