3. Have you ever been a patient of Dr. Strouse's before? If so, why did you change doctors? (I will not accept a patient back who transferred records for reasons other than they moved out of town and then came back or their insurance changed and I did not accept it. I do take it personally. Once a patient leaves me they are generally gone forever. I was at the grocery the other day and ran into a former patient who transferred records because I no longer go to the hospital. She was one that I had gone out of my way numerous times for through the years. She made a bee-line towards me when she saw me and I knew what was coming. She told me how she really did not like her new doctor and that their office was so inefficient and would I take her back? "Gee, I am really sorry to hear that but I do not think re-establishing our relationship would be in your best interest as I do take offense to patients who do not feel a loyalty to me when I have tried very hard for many years to see to their medical and often personal needs").
I have never in my 14 years of being a practioner heard anything more lovely and closer to my heart than that. Thank you, Leslie, for sayng that. I am crushed beyond belief when a patient leaves, and it hurts. I don't think they have any idea. I basically have three rules for taking a patient back. 1) They left to go out of town, 2) they left because of insurance reasons, I have even been known to treat them for free or for a lobster or a few chickens since they were loyal to me or 3) they had the guts, courage or fortitude to sit down with me and look me in the eye and say, "You have been great, but....." Granted, I probably wouldn't do that with my doctor, but I wouldn't expect him (he is a he) to take me back.
Thanks.
