I finally got hold of an adult GI to see if I could refer my 22 yo extremely sick patient with Crohn's. I was pretty excited, because our office had gone through the go around trying to even get this office to call us and accept the patient. But, I figured colleague to colleague would get me somewhere. So, after I told him who I was, I asked him if he would accept my patient, and he says, "Not gonna happen, not gonna happen." Well, I thought that was a little unprofessional. Well, maybe a lot unprofessional. I don't think I have heard another doctor every say a phrase like, "Not gonna happen." He had two reasons, may one or both were valid, I don't know.
He said he had read the record, and he sounded too sick to manage. I don't know, I know that some G.I. doctors specialize in IBD so maybe he only does hepatology and constipation. But, he still knows a little bit more than I do. The other practice in town stated they could see him on March 11. Hopefully, I can talk to them and get him in. So, the doctor suggests he go to Portland, which fortunately is ONLY 2 1/2 hours away. When I pointed that out, he said "Other people do it."
I will say in all fairness that he used to go there and transferred out and some offices have a policy about taking patients back. But, his surgeon wants to operate fairly quickly and she wants G.I. to get his flareup down a bit. Normally, he is on Remicade, but I guess he will have to go to Portland to get it.
