YourHealthMatters

Change of Address - Government style

When I moved my office two blocks down the street in Liberal in April I thought it would be easy to update my address with all the necessary groups I deal with. My medical license needed updating and that took a one page fax to the Kansas Board of Healing Arts. The same with my Oklahoma license and my Ontario medical license. Credit cards were also easily updated online. My DEA certificate only needed two pages faxed to St. Louis to update my address.

BUT to change my address with Medicare, the current government-run health care system for seniors, took a 45 PAGE form!. I had to refile my original application to become a Medicare provider just to change my office address. That turned out to be a journey in frustration for days on end as Medicare kept sending the form back for changes before they finally accepted it. My point is to wonder if this is how efficient Obama's government-run health care system is going to be, will it be really cost-effective?? The price tag is 1.5 trillion dollars over ten years. How much of that will be wasted on inefficient administrative matters? Or, if it took 45 pages to register my change of address with Medicare for moving two blocks, how many pages would it take to move a city and register the change of address (tongue in cheek grin) ?

drBob

For My Patients - We are moving...

No we are not leaving or retiring, just moving our office. In early April we will re-locating to 2140 N. Kansas Ave. This is the office once used by Dr. Harrington and we are happy that Terry Rush is renovating it for us.

We hope to start the moving by Wednesday, April 8 and be ready to open by Monday, April 14. We will be closed from April 9 till then.

Final details will be in our office, posted here and of course be available by calling the office.

Thanks for your support-

drBob

For My Patients - flu shots are here

For my patients who take yearly flu shots - the first shipment has arrived. Please call to book your appointment for one. It takes about 6 weeks to develop immunity to the flu after the shot. We have had flu outbreaks here as early as late November and as late as February each year.

If you wish to read the government suggestions about who should be immunized with these shots go to this MSNBC article just posted - click here

drBob

For My Patients - Check your Rx renewals

To my patients - Lynda & I will be out of the office Thursday, August 28 until Monday, Sept. 8. Please check that your prescriptions do not renew during that time. Cassie will answer the phone during office hours those days. Thanks
Bob & Lynda

For My Patients - Rumors, Rumors....

For my patients who may be hearing rumors about me, here are the current fanciful tales about me:

1.  "Dr. Sager is dying of brain cancer." Actually I had surgery at KU Med Center April 24, 2008 to clip and totally remove an anuerysm. I'm recovering and back to work. No cancer found or suspected.

2. " Dr. Sager has lost his license to practice."  Truth is I have renewed my Kansas and Oklahoma medical licenses just recently.

3. "I've retired and moved back to Canada." No plans to retire for some years. I'm in good health with no other health issues except my recovery from surgery.

I am accepting new patients. Call the office at 620-626-7080 and speak to my wife Lynda if you wish to see me.

The office is closed now for the July 4 holiday to give my staff a week off. We will all be back to work Monday, July 7, 2008.

drBob

PS - heard any other juicy rumors about me? - please post here in the Comments.

For My Patients - upcoming time out of office

For my patients - I got a good report from my surgeon but he urged me to take it easy on the road to recovery. So I wish to announce Lynda and I will be away Friday June 20 until  Monday July 7 when the office will re-open.
Check your renewals on all prescriptions before then. The office will be closed so the staff can have a holiday from June 30-July 4.

drBob

For My Patients : Coming Back to Work

I am slowly returning to the office this week after surgery in KUMedCenter April 24. I  am also still using Dr. Jim Wiley part time as a locum physician. He has been a great help.

I am mentally fine. It is my physical stamina that still is less than normal. I certainly learning firsthand what it is to be a patient.

On May 28 I have a followup appointment with my surgeon at KUMedCenter and I expect to be out of the office May 27,28 and 29. The office will be open and staff available to help you. Thanks to everyone who has called and for your support through your thoughts and prayers. I will be writing more later.

drBob

For My Patients - Advance Notice of a Trip

Lynda and I will be away on a course in late April. We leave Wed April 23 and will be back Monday May 5. The staff will keep the office open for your calls. We have arranged a locum physician for April 28,29,30.
drBob

For My Patients - Advance holiday notice

Lynda and I are out of the office Nov 8-16 and back Monday, Nov 19. The office will be open with our staff on-hand to answer questions, help with refills and handle supplements. The office will be closed on both Fridays we are away, November 9 and 16.

We will also be closed to celebrate Thanksgiving November 22 and 23.

If you have written-only prescriptions coming due during Nov 8-16 or Nov 22-23, please let us know ahead of time. Thanks,

drBob

PS - don't forget to answer the survey question in the left hand column of this site.

For My Patients - PS

My post yesterday about the change in my practice brought the biggest one day visits to my site ever. I'm so glad you are reading about the truth of the change in my practice, and now not believing the rumors.

However, I'm very curious to know what you are hearing on the street. One of my patients called my office today to report a well-known person in town is telling my patients that I "was terminated by the hospital." Rubbish! I have a completely clean record of practice over the past 10 years here and chose to leave the hospital for personal reasons only.

So please leave comments here about what you are hearing as the days go by - it should be a great illustration of how gossip twists truth.

drBob
"What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do."