Why I answer emails

[mtomaino]

Nearly 3 years ago, I wrote a blog on www.drtomaino.com about accessibility. Click on this link if you'd like to read it: http://www.drtomaino.com/blog.php?a=20

I had just founded Tomaino Orthopaedic Care two months earlier, and I shared my committment to practice differently than the prevailing norm---
Seth Godin's Book "Purple Cow" addresses the value of being exceptional---and to that end, he mentioned that a white cow was hardly that; but a purple cow would fit the bill.

Many of my colleagues around the country talk to patients in the office, but rarely, if ever, are accessible after hours. In keeping with the "Purple Cow" approach, I have committed to being not only accessible 24/7, but responsive. Why?

Because it helps patients when they are in need the most. And, why wouldn't I ??!!

Case in point---I received the following email this evening---and I not only called the patient, but set up an appointment 1st thing in the morining. Beyond being proud that my team can be flexible enough to provide this type of access, I am delighted to be able to provide a unique type of service, in a day when less and less in "delivered", because for this particular patient, it meant more than words can express.

This is the link which allows a patient to email me:

http://www.drtomaino.com/contact.php


This person has submitted the contact form via the drtomaino.com website.
Full Name Don
Phone Number xxx-xxxx
Email Address xxx@xx.com

Message Good Evening. I am unsure if this message will reach anyone prior to office hours tomorrow (Monday) however I sustained a closed fracture of my 5th metatarcel on evening of 6/23 and ended up with an appointment with a hand surgeon this past Friday morning. The result was to schedule me for surgery on Monday 6/27. I am however not sure of the information I received and Dr. Tomaino came recommended to me after the fact. I am not sure if there is a possibility of obtaining an early appointment in your office tomorrow (Monday) prior to reporting for surgical procedure to place pins in my hand, as I would like to determine if other possible treatment options may be available. If possible, could someone calle me this evening or first thing Monday morning to see if morning consult/appt. is possible? Thank you! Don

Timestamp: June 26th, 2011 - 7:16 pm

[mtomaino]

As a follow up to the above email---I repeated xrays and found, in fact, 2 metacarpal fractures, not just one. Close inspection of the xrays reveal that the 5th finger metacarpal fracture is nondisplaced, and the 4th is minimally angulated, but likely to heal. My recommendation was for nonoperative treatment in a splint. This particular patient had no recall of his discussion last week, and was under the impression that a "surgical option" was the only option. Our visit provides a great example of how informative a second opinion can be---if for no other reason than to provide an opportunity for additional dialogue, etc.