Summer 2010
A PMH STORY – DIRECT CONTACT YIELDS DIRECT RESULTS by Robert Kelly MD FACP
An elderly woman was discharged from the hospital after a difficult illness and transferred to a long-term care facility or nursing center. She and her husband were early subscribers to the Premium Medical Home.
It was not a long term care facility that Dr. Kelly visits so she was assigned to the care of the facility medical director. The patient and her husband preferred this facility because it was more convenient for him to visits.
After she was discharged from the hospital in the afternoon, her husband accompanied her to the nursing center. When he left he saw the security system at the front door. He did not understand how it worked, but saw it would be locked in the evening. When he left for home that evening, her medicines had not yet arrived. Arriving home, finishing supper, he tried to call the facility to see if she had been given her evening medicines.
After calling many times, he realized no one was answering the phone. Alarmed, he called Dr. Kelly on his cell phone. The call was directly answered. Dr. Kelly listened to the story and recognized that the phone number the husband was dialing was not the best number to reach the nurses’ station. In a 3-way conversation, Dr. Kelly called an alternate number and got the nurse on the phone. The husband’s intuition was correct – the needed medicines had not arrived and delivery was not certain.
The nurse provided the simple code for the front door lock so that the husband could come and go as he wished. Speaking with Dr. Kelly, she also agreed that if the husband were to bring the medicines from home, the nurse would see that they were promptly given to the resident and avoid any further delay or anxiety. This was a great relief to the husband and a great comfort to the wife because of her painful symptoms.
Such is the usefulness of direct contact with your PMH doctor. Knowledge and understanding about how long-term care facilities, hospitals, and other parts of healthcare systems operate was immediately available to the subscriber. This kind of enhanced access solved this problem and also relieved alarm, worry, and uncertainty. In a standard medical office, a phone call expressing concern about an inability to complete a phone call to a nursing home or getting a combination to a security door would generally not be met with direct help and intervention. At a Premium Medical Home, we are available to help with the medical needs that are important to you.
FITNESS AS PREVENTION-A SCIENTIFIC FACT by Robert Kelly MD FACP
On Sunday morning a young man wakes up and discovers a rash. What should he do? Rashes can be serious – the patient needs to see a doctor soon, but the doctor’s office is closed on the weekend. The young man started a new and vital medication two weeks ago, and this could be an allergic reaction.
PREVENTION OF HEART ATTACH, STROKE AND DEATH IN DIABETICS by Allan Kelly MD FACP
“Diabetics and all adults are at risk for vascular complications. Hopefully, your doctor can help you to prevent and delay such problems…..”
CANCER DEATHS DECREASING by Allan Kelly MD FACP
“Recent reports from the American Cancer Society indicate decreasing rates of cancer over the past ten years. Overall, cancer diagnoses have been declining approximately 1% per year over the 8 years and deaths have declined 1.6% per year over the past six years…”
Medical Quotes:
“It’s a poor government that does not realize that the prolonged life, health and happiness of its people are its greatest asset.” –
Charles Horace Mayo