Coordination of care at its best

Last Friday sucked. I saw more doctors in that day than I have in year. I went to see my family doctor for what I originally thought was a piece of contact that was stuck in my eye. A few hours later I was at St. Michael's Hospital waiting to see an ophthalmologist about a corneal ulcer. While it was a long day of being poked and prodded, I couldn't be more thankful for the care that I received from my health team. Before I get into what they did so well, I do want to address the fact that this whole experience may not have been as speedy if I didn't live downtown in a major city like Toronto. Regardless, here are a few things my doctors did really well:

My family doctor, Dr. Weisbrod, left his office and went upstairs to find an optometrist to take a look at my eye. He then explained his concerns calmly and called another optometry clinic to book me an appointment within the next two hours. He followed up with me first thing Monday morning like he said he would. His care and concern did not go unnoticed and I feel fortunate to have a doctor who is willing to find the right clinician when he feels his patient's needs are outside his own scope.

My (new) optometrist, Dr. Permack, brought in another optometrist for a second opinion and referred me to St. Mike's immediately to be on the safe side. He explained that the aggressive nature of the infection was abnormal, and that my case was best dealt with by an ophthalmologist. He also followed up with me on Monday, showing genuine concern for my wellbeing.

My resident ophthalmologist, Dr. Kwok, provided plenty of reassurance that things would get better with time as he could sense that I was quietly freaking out during our appointment. He thoroughly explained what was happening and what to expect going forward. He took plenty of time to check in with how I was managing during each of our daily appointments. He assured me that he would call as soon as he received any updates on the lab results, and has referred me to a corneal specialist.

I felt this experience is an important one to share as I received such a high level of care. In four days, my care was transitioned seamlessly through the hands of many clinicians without any hiccups. I've been in awe of the efficiency and coordination shown throughout the entire process. Since Friday, I have seen a family doctor, two optometrists, three ophthalmologists, and a corneal specialist.

In speaking with my own patients, I have heard too many horror stories of getting lost in the shuffle of our healthcare system, having to advocate fiercely to find their test results or to see a specialist for their condition. My experience this week refreshes my faith that most clinicians truly care about their patients. It is not the norm to be treated like a number and to feel lost. Our healthcare system is filled with passionate, caring, and dedicated people who make some of the worst days of our lives a bit more bearable. In other words, thank you to those mentioned above for making a shitty week a lot less shitty!

Oh, and when it comes to my eye--the pain has improved but there is significant swelling that is limiting my vision. We're still waiting for the lab results to see what is causing the ulcer and I'll see the corneal specialist tomorrow. Stay tuned!