I
think the reason that the Spiceland Pike Medical Center (SPMC) has
been successful for over 15 years is because of several factors. It
involves continuity of care, good employees, patient focused concepts
and comprehensive care.
A
doctor/patient relationship is more valuable the longer it develops.
Patient's don't like to see a new face when they are sick, especially
when that new face belongs to the doctor or a lesser trained
healthcare provider. At SPMC there has always been just one full-time
doctor.
Employees
are hard to find when expectations are uncompromising. I am
criticized for being hard to work for her, but I make no apology for
having high customer service and technical standards. Quite frankly,
few people are excellent enough to be hired and stay hired at SPMC.
From
day one, SPMC has focused on what I would want as a patient. I would
want to be able to see my doctor when I want and at a price I could
afford even if I didn't have health insurance. Having that doctor
board-certified in the top 2% is a nice bonus.
Only
at SPMC can patients see the same board-certified doctor at each
visit and not someone else's doctor or a nurse practitioner. Only at
SPMC can patients be seen without an appointment, after 5 PM and on
the weekend. And only at SPMC can patients without insurance not be
expected to pay more than patients with commercial insurance.
SPMC
provides for patients to be cared for by the same doctor in the
office, hospital and nursing home. This comprehensive care used to be
the standard but is now a rarity as other practices have abandoned a
patient centered focus in favor of having a better lifestyle.
I
thank the people of New Castle, Hagerstown, Knightstown and other
surrounding towns for entrusting their healthcare to SPMC. We will
continue to provide you the healthcare you deserve.
