My neurologist has joined one of the big group hospital networks as most of the doctors on Long Island are forced to do. I’ve been with him for 23 years. Everyone in his office knew me. It was originally his first wife, who unfortunately passed away, and another secretary. They added an additional bookkeeper when his wife got sick about 15 years ago. It has been the same staff all these years. I could call up and say hi it’s Jamie and anyone who answered the phone knew who I was. If I needed something it was done super quick. They were all so good to me, my neurologist included.

Now he’s part of the hospital group and you can’t even get through to a person without pressing the appropriate buttons. Then when I get someone they can’t ask my neurologist, they have to send word to him. Understand his office is about as big as my condo, if you said Dr. in an indoor voice, he’d hear you. All I needed today was a refill on a prescription but still, I’m not use to the “new system”. It is frustrating. Especially since I know that when my Long Term Disability plan sends something, there are time constraints. He fills out all the medical portions on these forms. When forms would be faxed over prior to this, someone in the office let me know in case I didn’t receive notification. It’s not going to be the case anymore. They, as in the office staff, always help me keep my neurologist on top of it.

I asked him what made him change after all these years, thinking the answer was Covid. I wish the answer was Covid. He said if he ever wants to retire he needs someone to take over the practice. He actually brought in two other neurologist that work part time into the office. By joining into this big hospital group the practice is easily filled with other qualified hospital affiliated neurologists. He said he was planning on retiring within the next couple years. I think that’s what sent me for the loop more. I know 23 years with me alone, eventually he was going to retire. I was always dreading this day.

I still have my specialist in the city which won’t change. It was my neurologist who actually insisted I see her way back when. It’s a good thing because she is not taking on any more patients. Her practices, they are big too, but she isn’t. However I can’t use her as primary it’s just too far. I definitely will need another neurologist that’s more local. Truth be told, there was a point in the middle of my seeing him that I did change neurologist. My family wanted me with somebody that was more of an MS specialist. My current neurologist is a great neurologist but he isn’t known for multiple sclerosis. I’ve been to many of the top MS neurologist on Long Island, and I really didn’t like most of them. Therefore I always stayed at my practice. 23 years later I’m still there. I added a MS specialist about 10 years ago and it has worked fine.

So far, I don’t have to make a decision yet but I’m gonna have to make one in the near future. I have to see if I can work something out as I’m doing now with the MS specialist in the city. I could see her in person once a year and do videos on the six month mark It is too difficult to get into the city for me these days. If that could work out she’ll have to become my one and only neurologist. I just can’t see me going to one of the other ones that I’ve either already been to or know about on Long Island. I liked my neurologist and I ill miss him when his retirement day comes.