There I was, near death, with no one to help me. OK, so I exaggerate a wee bit. But a new system at The Everett Clinic didn’t snap to my rescue last week.
The doctor was in, but to me, she was out. And the different annual physical routine was annoying.
Two months ago, I made an appointment for my annual exam. I was told that Dr. Deborah Meyers, my physician of several years, no longer did routine physicals, so I would see a nurse practitioner.
But what if I needed to speak to the doctor about lady stuff?
I could see Meyers after I saw the NP, the scheduler said.
To my pea brain, that meant that after my physical, I could walk down the hall and see my physician.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Two weeks before my exam, I gave blood. Meyers sent me a letter, with the lab reports, saying everything looked good.
But I noticed my triglycerides were 330. I went online. That was high.
I was a walking stroke.
My heart was failing.
I hoped I lived long enough to make it into the Mill Creek clinic.
The NP did my pap smear, listened here and there and poked around. When she seemed finished, I asked about my triglycerides.
“You’ll need to discuss that with Dr. Meyers,” she said. “You’ll need to make an appointment with her.”
It was good thing they already noted my excellent blood pressure, because after that, it must have hit the roof. I was used to one-stop service at my yearly exam. Returning for another visit would not do.
“But Dr. Meyers is busy,” the NP said.
Uh, oh.
Wrong thing to say.
“I am busy, too,” I responded through clenched teeth. “I took an afternoon off my job to get all my health needs addressed.”
I do not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not make two doctor appointments for what should be an in and out done deal.
Sorry to admit, I got pretty huffy.
She scurried away from the crazy lady and came back in five minutes. Meyers could see me in a hour. I had two toddlers waiting for Grammie to come home after work, but I wanted to take care of my dire situation.
I agreed to wait.
Twiddling my thumbs, the holding room slowly emptied. It appeared I was the last appointment. Two hours after I arrived, I met my doctor.
Meyers was super nice. She explained that simple procedures done by an NP would free up a physician for more daunting tasks.
But I was dying.
She disagreed and said my overall cholesterol is fine. I am to take three fish oil pills every night to lower the triglycerides.
Contacted after my appointment, Dr. Erica Peavy, associate medical director at The Everett Clinic, couldn’t have been more sorry that I was inconvenienced.
She honors my time.
That soothed this beast.
Peavy said they’ve had good response to folks who’ve seen NPs in the Women’s Wellness program for annual female preventative exams and labs. As she explained, those needing routine services get in faster, and those needing Meyers’ expertise get to see her more quickly.
That made sense.
Next year I will make two appointments for my yearly physical — one with the Wellness program and one a half-hour later with my doctor.
I’ll be less annoyed by the procedure.
Go fish oil.
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.
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