I'm Pretty Sure It's a Brain Tumor

I've suffered from migraine headaches for as long as I can remember, so I'm use to the routine of taking some Norco and locking myself in a dark room or going to urgent care to get a Toradol injection.  But for the past month I have had this constant headache on the left side of my head accompanied by this intermittent pressure of what I can only describe as a balloon slowly filling and then releasing behind my left eye.  After some gentle nudging from my staff and a big shove from my chiropractor who usually has no problems getting my migraines back in control, I went in to the doctor today to get it checked out. 

When Glendale Clinic Medical Assistant, Mae Wong, asked me what my chief complaint was I told her "I'm having constant migraines and I'm pretty sure I have a brain tumor".  Mae just smiled and said without making fun of me in any way, "Well... let's get your blood pressure and get you in to the see the doctor."  Wouldn't you know my blood pressure, which has been perfectly normal for the past year, was elevated.  Mae said "Your blood pressure is a little elevated.  I'm going to ask a few questions and set up the room then we'll take it again to see if it settles down."  Then, Mae asked me a couple questions about my asthma, exercise, tobacco use, etc.  Questions which are all part of our Southern California Proactive Care intake process. Some people complain that the POE intake process slows the staff down and that it takes too long, but I swear to you, Mae went through everything in about a minute and a half.  A minute and a half to address actions that could possibly save a life one day... totally worth it.

After repeating my blood pressure (which was now nice and normal) Mae took me back to the exam room where she opened the EMR and signed on to my chart, securing it on her nursing notes (Computer Ready), she asked me to sit on the exam room bed (Patient Ready) and said the doctor would be in the room in just a moment.  When she left, I snapped a few pictures to show you how the Room Ready concept is applied as well.

No big deal right?  Why wouldn't your doctors nurse ask you about your asthma, exercise, tobacco use, repeat your blood pressure when elevated and set up the room for the visit?  Well... to start, this wasn't my PCP or my PCP's nurse.  This was a same day urgent appointment with a doctor from my doctors "team".  What came across loud and clear was that we do Proactive Care for every patient at every visit - no matter who or where you are.  Mae didn't know me from Adam.  She didn't know I ran the Proactive Care program for the region (which was actually refreshing) and she didn't know I was observing her every move so I could blog and tweet about it later.  She saw me as a patient.  No... scratch that... she saw me as her patient who, though possibly a bit over-dramatic, was suffering from chronic migraines.  Her smile was comforting, genuine, and appreciated.

Perhaps I was a bit influenced by the Toradol injection I just received and the relief of knowing a CT would be done soon, but I left that visit thinking, "if this is how all our patient's feel at the end of their care experience with us, we really can become the provider of choice."  And that, my friends, gives me hope and a sense of pride.