One Neurosurgeon for 4 cities

[Guest TankerHC]

So what happened to all the Neurosurgeons? Christmas night a relative started having seizures. Had to go to the ER, he was "locking up", had been doing it but that night got pretty bad because they started and didnt stop. Went to Hospital in Chattanooga, he was diagnosed with some kind of "Mal" seizures, not Grand Mal I believe Tonic. Gave him some medication and they did stop but he was referred to a Neurosurgeon, going to be 6 or 7 weeks. Was told there is only ONE Neurosurgeon in the area still taking patients, and he or she is covering Chattanooga, down to Atlanta, all the way up to Nashville and generally most of Tennessee. 

 

I know a lot of Dr's are retiring because of the ACA (I know two personally, one has already retired), is that why there is a single Neurosurgeon covers big chunks of three states? Or is that just normal for the area?

 

 

[Lumber_Jack]

Neurology is an extremely difficult field. It takes a special person to go to med school and an even more special to do Neuro. With the days of big money passing away in medicine there isn't much incentive to spend the time and energy unless you just love neurology. It's 4 years MD 5 years residency. It's a lot of time and energy. Plus it's a tough field emotionally cause you see some really bad diagnoses

[Peace]

[quote name="Lumber_Jack" post="1085060" timestamp="1388189810"]Neurology is an extremely difficult field. It takes a special person to go to med school and an even more special to do Neuro. With the days of big money passing away in medicine there isn't much incentive to spend the time and energy unless you just love neurology. It's 4 years MD 5 years residency. It's a lot of time and energy. Plus it's a tough field emotionally cause you see some really bad diagnoses[/quote] that... and for neurosurgery, you rarely do a surgery/consult that is routine. It is all serious, and the consequences of screwing up (lawsuit/malpractice premiums, etc.). are always huge.

[pitt2magic]

I don't know which hospital in Chattanooga or who exactly gave you that info but I can assure you that its bull crap.  My wife is an ER doctor in town, I showed her your post and she listed off 6 just off the top of her head that she still refers patients to.  And that's just in Chattanooga alone.  I hope you find someone to take care of your family.

[Lumber_Jack]

[quote name="pitt2magic" post="1085066" timestamp="1388190097"]I don't know which hospital in Chattanooga or who exactly gave you that info but I can assure you that its bull crap. My wife is an ER doctor in town, I showed her your post and she listed off 6 just off the top of her head that she still refers patients to. And that's just in Chattanooga alone. I hope you find someone to take care of your family.[/quote] I found it unlikely to be true but had no way of confirming the fact.

[Guest TankerHC]

Memorial

 

I told my wife what Pitt's wife said and she wanted me to ask, is it possible that there is only one that would take his insurance? Because we were definitely told there is only one still taking Patients. 

Edited December 28, 2013 by TankerHC

[peejman]

My parents go to church with a neurosurgeon in Chattanooga, though I think he may have retired recently. The part about the absurd malpractice insurance premiums is quite true. Dad has a friend who was making huge money as a anesthesiologist, but quit when his malpractice premium surpassed $1M/yr.

[Guest TankerHC]

Neurology is an extremely difficult field. It takes a special person to go to med school and an even more special to do Neuro. With the days of big money passing away in medicine there isn't much incentive to spend the time and energy unless you just love neurology. It's 4 years MD 5 years residency. It's a lot of time and energy. Plus it's a tough field emotionally cause you see some really bad diagnoses

 

This is EXACTLY why one of my friends went ahead and retired at 50. We had a long conversation about it and he said, unless your a Specialist your no longer in it to make money, someone who wants to do it has to "just want to do it". he actually was/is a Specialist, Gastroenterology. 

[pitt2magic]

Memorial

 

I told my wife what Pitt's wife said and she wanted me to ask, is it possible that there is only one that would take his insurance? Because we were definitely told there is only one still taking Patients. 

PM inbound

[Guest TankerHC]

Correction: There is more than one, it was an insurance issue. This relative had Insurance through his work, due to ACA he was cut back to 30 hours or whatever it is, and Insurance went up and became unaffordable, so he dropped it and was moved over to Tenncare. When Pitt messaged me my wife called his wife, they got him in on the 22nd and even though NS's normally dont accept Tenncare they took him, which is pretty good considering I know some places elsewhere that wouldn't do that. 

 

But I sat right there and listened, the person did say "Only one in the area still taking Patients". Probably a simple miscommunication. 

Edited December 28, 2013 by TankerHC