Letters
Favorite covers
To the Editor:
I enjoyed the cover depicting Moses shuffling through the commandments (February 1999), and I was dismayed by the disparaging remarks about it in the April issue (Letters, page 9). Then that cover was surpassed by the illustration of the elderly gentleman flipping playing cards into his bedpan (March 1999) -- my favorite so far!
Jane Zendarski, DO
Rochester, N.Y.
Locum tenens
To the Editor:
I read with interest the locum tenens article ("A Physician's Guide to Locum Tenens," February 1999). I've been an independent contractor and locums physician my entire medical career, and the examples in the article are not typical of my experience.
I've always been paid in full and on time. The worst lodging I ever had was at a well-known national budget motel. I've also stayed in a lakefront cabin, a well-equipped corporate apartment, a sailboat in Alaska, a waterfront home, a vacation resort, a condominium, a Victorian bed and breakfast, and sometimes in the homes of the physicians I replaced.
I don't believe that all the agencies' loyalties lie with clients or that there is a conspiratorial atmosphere against physicians. A good agency will work just as hard to find the right job for a doctor as it will to find the right doctor for a job. Many times, the agency and the client get burned by physicians who back out of their commitments without cause, agree to be in two places at the same time or misrepresent their qualifications. I developed comfortable working relationships with my contact people at each agency. I trusted their judgment, and they depended on me to deliver the professional services promised.
Still, the agencies are in business to make a profit, so I agree with the article's suggestion to review contracts before you sign them. I've made addenda and revisions to every agency locums contract I've signed.
While I recommend that those starting out in the locums field learn the ropes by working through an agency, I have begun contracting directly with hospitals and practices. In many cases, these clients prefer dealing directly with a physician.
I would not discourage physicians from trying this exciting career option -- as long as they take common-sense precautions. I believe my chosen specialty as an independent locum tenens physician is the best job in medicine and the last bastion of physician autonomy in the current managed care environment.
Robert S. Thompson, DO
Harrisburg, Pa
Voice recognition software
To the Editor:
I hope readers took note of the articles about voice recognition software ("Voice Recognition Software: A Tool for Encounter Notes," February 1999, and "A Comparison of Voice Recognition Programs," April 1999). This software is one of the best money-saving devices I've come across for my practice.
In November, I purchased Dragon Systems' NaturallySpeaking Medical Suite for a laptop PC, and the system paid for itself within a few months. (My transcription costs used to be more than $1,000 per month.) I picked up the system on a Friday afternoon and was using it in my office by Monday, after only four hours of training with the program.
My dictations are in the chart the same day I see a patient, making it much easier to process referral requests. And many of my routine visits are in the form of templates, so it takes just a few minutes to dictate, for example, a full history and physical.
I highly recommend this system to anyone who wants to maintain neat charts while saving money.
Kerry K. Swindle, MD
Tucson, Ariz.
Beeper paging systems
To the Editor:
I enjoy and learn much from FPM. The article "13 Ways to Be More Efficient" (April 1999) discussed internal beeper paging systems as a way to locate physicians. I am interested in using this type of system to locate staff members -- specifically medical assistants -- in our busy practice. What systems are available, and where can I find them?
Marlene Wolf, MD
Coral Springs, Fla.
Editor's response:
Some companies we've found that advertise in-house or on-site pagers are Visiplex Inc. (847-405-0771; www.visiplex.com), Phonejack.com (888-920-7354; www.phonejack.com/paging.htm) and Commenco Inc. (913-492-8895; www.commenco.com).
|
We want to hear from you. Letters is an open forum for our readers. Write to Letters Editor, Family Practice Management, 8880 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64114-2797. If you prefer, fax your letter to 816-333-0303. You may also contact FPM by e-mail at fpmlet@aafp.org. Include your address, daytime phone number and fax number, if any. Letters may be edited for length and style. All letters sent to the editors of FPM are presumed to be intended for publication unless otherwise specified in the text of the letter. |
Copyright © 1999 by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
This content is owned by the AAFP. A person viewing it online may make one printout of the material and may use that printout only for his or her personal, non-commercial reference. This material may not otherwise be downloaded, copied, printed, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any medium, whether now known or later invented, except as authorized in writing by the AAFP.
