They Moved Him Out of Pediatrics!

So, S is turning 18 in December, and he will have to leave the Pediatric Clinic.  His doctor has been asking him for 2-3 years when he wanted to move to the Family Practice Clinic.  He kept telling the doctor that he would stay in Pediatrics until he couldn’t be seen there any more (the day before his 18th birthday).  The doctor laughed and told him fine.  

Because we have an awesome pediatrician, he created a plan to medically transition S.  We wrote it down.  I blogged about it.  It was a good plan.  The best part about it was that S was comfortable with it.  He is going to leave a doctor who has been his Primary Care Manager (PCM) for more than 8 years. He knows S.  He “gets” him.  He knows our family.  We have a mutual understanding and respect. His nursing staff has been wonderful with us in helping to get paperwork signed, faxed, etc.

Imagine our surprise when S received a postcard in the mail on October 9 that stated:

The PCM for you and/or one of your family members has changed.  You are encouraged 

to make contact with your new PCM within 30 days to establish yourself as a new patient.

It then gives instructions to log on to their website to see who it is…..

This is not part of the pediatrician’s plan to transition S!

Because S is almost 18, we told him to send a message to his doctor via Relay Health (S might be the only Pediatrics patient to have his own account because the pediatrician expects S to send his own messages since he is almost an adult. Have I said how lucky we are to have this doctor?). He did.  He laid out the facts:  received this postcard, have a new PCM, will this doctor be a good match for me.  

There is someone who looks at the messages before they go to the doctor.  Typically, it is the doctor's nurse. This was someone different. This person decided that S’s message didn’t need to go to the doctor.  She responded to him as if he were the parents. She raved about this new doctor (we aren’t questioning his qualifications since he is my PCM); however, we are wondering if S’s current doctor thinks he will be a good match for S.  She continues to go on how to schedule an appointment and gives the hours of the hospital and appointments line. She also clarifies that since the PCM change has gone through that S won’t be able to schedule an appointment with the Pediatrician.  She also mentioned that she has looked at his records to make sure his physical and immunizations are up to date.  Did you notice anywhere in his record that he is not your typical Peds patient?  Did you notice that he has a disability or two?  Did you notice the number of Pediatric Specialists he sees?

This is the response we (my husband and I) received from the same person mentioned above who intercepted this message before the doctor saw it:
Subject:  Deactivating Relationship

Message:  PCM is now Dr. ______.  Child will be considered an adult soon (Age 18).

*Because your relationship with this provider has been declined or deactivated, you cannot reply to this message.

Really?  My son’s relationship with his doctor goes beyond you sitting at a desk “deactivating” it. That doesn’t end it!!!!

Breathe......  

Now that my rant is over,
my husband went over to PEDS this morning since he works near the hospital. The pediatrician's nurse had been out last week. It was someone not familiar with S who wrote back to him and us. My husband was able to go into the doctor's office and talk to the pediatrician. The doctor said that S did exactly what he had asked him to do.

Long story short,
the pediatrician would like to see him with a different doctor. He said the one they assigned him to - the one I see - is a good fit for mom. He thinks for long term care there might be a better option for S. My husband has those names, and we have to log on to the system and put it for the change.

We have a transition plan, people! We just need everyone to follow it.  

If only life worked that smoothly.....Is it any wonder I need to be on the couch with chocolate...and perhaps a glass of wine?