|
Why You Might Want to Consult with Dr. Don Schiller
Doctors vary in their dedication and commitment to their patients. Perhaps the best way to judge the extent to which a doctor is involved with the care of a patient, both during the hospital stay and in long-term follow-up and ease of access, is to hear it from their patients themselves.
Most surgeons deal with “vertical care” – a patient is treated, a diseased organ removed or repaired, and the patient recovers no longer needing to see the surgeon. The care of BCIR patients is “longitudinal care” – the surgeon must be always available for the needs or questions of the patient, long after they have been discharged from the hospital. Dr. Schiller has shown his personal commitment and dedication by the care he renders before a patient has even decided to have the BCIR, while the patient is hospitalized, during the rest of the patient’s life, in communicating directly with the local physicians, and in his active participation with the Quality Life Association support group over many years.
When a prospective patient is deciding whether the BCIR is right for them, Dr. Schiller’s policy has always been to have a personal telephone appointment consultation (at no charge to the patient or their insurance carrier) so that he and the patient can have an opportunity to speak directly, not through a screening nurse or office personnel. As many patients come from out of town, this substitutes for a customary pre-operative office visit.
Of course, anyone wishing to see Dr. Schiller in person is more than welcome. While in the hospital after surgery, Dr. Schiller is devoted to patient care. Patients have often expressed surprise (even shock) that if his schedule is disturbed by an emergency, Dr. Schiller will not only call the nurse to get a report of the patient’s status, but also calls the patient directly in their room to reassure them and let them know when he expects to arrive to see them.
After a patient has been discharged from the hospital, he provides direct care scheduling routine telephone office appointments, just as if the patient were living in Los Angeles and coming to the office for post-operative follow-up. His patients often comment that they have never experienced this kind of personalized devotion with other doctors of any specialty.
Dr. Schiller wants and encourages patients who have a question or concern to call him directly, rather than to first try to speak with the hospital Coordinator or office staff. His patients have always expressed sincere gratitude for him being available to them in this way. An office chart is maintained for each and every patient in Dr. Schiller’s private office and every telephone conversation is recorded by him in progress notes. Any need for medication is dealt with by Dr. Schiller calling the patient’s local pharmacy that day to leave the orders.
Experience counts. To learn more, please take a few seconds to review his credentials.
|
