only to discover, in many instances, that we have traded one set of
headaches for another, and find that the new set attacks our very
honor and our dignity as a physician. In many instances we are
viewed and treated by our employers as nothing but another cog
on the assembly line, and not the professionals we are. We are the
only ones in the huge machine of health care, by the way, who have
taken oaths to protect and serve our patients…not the lawyers, not
the administrators, not the accountants: only the physicians.
There are so many tales of woe heard in the Physicians’ Lounges,
in hallways, and whenever two physicians get together for almost any
reason. Many of us have decided to retire early, pursue something
else, or at least change direction. Society loses when knowledgeable,
experienced, caring physicians leave practice prematurely, and not
just individual patients of that single physician. Patients who will
never have the chance of gaining the benefit of that experience and
knowledge, students who will not learn from such a treasure trove
of experience and knowledge, and colleagues who will miss their
sage advice and counsel: this generational wisdom is thus lost.
practice medicine and my wonderful specialty of Obstetrics and
Gynecology.
I recently left full time private practice for many of the reasons
cited here. Yes, I’m a little older, a little more frayed around the
edges, but I still loved the day to day encounters with my patients,
and the trust they placed in me. I so enjoyed the friendships that
developed with them and their families over the years, and the joys
of celebrating new life with them, and I will miss this closeness
enormously. I won’t miss the other headaches that now accompany
those pleasures, and are an unavoidable toll required now on the
highway of 2015 medical practice. But I will always miss the most
heartfelt of all “Thank You’s.”
All I can say is, Thank YOU!
Note: Larry Griffin, MD, is the director for Women’s Health Policy at
Passport Health Plan.
We all believe we leave behind a legacy, but I learned long ago
that it is the rare physician who is long and far remembered once
they are gone. When I came into practice some 40 years ago, I was
astounded that I hadn’t even heard of a recently retired physician
who was the leader of the community in my own specialty up until
his retirement, less than 3 years before. We are all replaceable, I
quickly learned. But there are patients who will always remember
the one day in their lives that we had a significant impact. It is those
few who will make me forever grateful to have been permitted to
When you look for a medical billing
partner, look beyond…
Beyond the Ordinary
“Two and a half years ago, I opened my
sole practice, and one of the reasons
that I have survived so far is because of
the outstanding services of HSC Medical
Billing & Consulting. They have helped
me decide what services are best for
my practice and my personality. They
are very accurate in their work; the
error rate in charge entry is less than
0.1% (yes, I checked!). With the
ever-changing landscape in health care,
it is nice to have HSC professionals on
my side — and at an affordable cost.”
- Emilian Armeanu, MD
Beyond the Numbers. Beyond the Basics.
Beyond the Ordinary.
Contact Brenda Wallace, CPA, CMPE
800.880.7800 • www.hsccpa.com
Louisville, KY • Evansville, IN
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