Doctor speaks out
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By Angela Hatcher
WSLS10 Reporter/Anchor
Published: August 28, 2008
Dr. Geoff Harter was quoted in the Wall Street Journal article and has no problem openly expressing his opinion about Carilion.
“Would you call Carilion a monopoly?“, asks Angela Hatcher.
“Absolutely.“, responds Harter.
Harter tells us his practice, Jefferson Surgical Clinic, is staying independent despite talks with Carilion.
“Have your referrals gone down?“, asks Angela.
“ We have seen a change in our referrals, yes ma’am.“, says Harter.
Harter told the newspaper Carilion employees have told him they were asked not to refer patients to non-Carilion docs.
“I think the major concern we have is for the patients because it is decreasing their choice as far as care is concerned.“, says Harter. “There have been some folks who have left town. Some that have gone over to Lewis Gale specifically for that reason because they felt they were being driven out of practice.“
“You’re not gonna just say send us all your business.“, says Carilion’s Chief Financial Officer Don Lorton.
Lorton disputes the article and Harter’s claim.
“They’re wrong that we direct our phycisians to channel our referrels and even if we thought we would want to I know physicians well enough to know they wouldn’t do it if they thought it wasn’t in the best interest of their patient.“, says Lorton.
“Don’t I as a patient, have the right to say I want to see Dr. Harter? Refer me to him.“, says Angela.
“Absolutely you do. But if you’re in a situation in the emergency room and they say Dr. Harter is no longer taking call. Dr. Harter is not on call tonight. That has happened to me and other physicians.“
But Harter says he was available that night.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Carilion CEO Dr. Edward Murphy says he would rather see Carilion doctors refer patients in-house.
So the question remains, as a patient, is the choice really yours?
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( ali411 ) on August 29, 2008 at 9:10 am
Pass the hat for Murphy’s car allowance!!
In the WSJ article, Murphy complains that he “doesn’t receive a car allowance, a spousal allowance, or club memberships.“ After all,with gas prices what they are, how can he afford to drive when he only makes $2.07 million a year. Even worse, his wife is truly getting ripped off by being denied her “spousal allowance”. after all, doesn’t everybody get a spousal allowance?
Worst of all, Murphy can’t afford to tee it up on the weekends at the country club. Instead, he must be “finding better ways” to forclose on 4000 homes of the poor and garnishing their wages.
Lets pass the hat for Murphy so he can begin to live like a human being again.
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Posted by ( Vickie McCorkle ) on August 29, 2008 at 7:25 am
A few years ago my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer by a Carilion urologist. My family and I did extensive research on treatment options. We met with the Carilion Dr. and he gave us options such as surgery, radiation, radiation implants, all of which had various side effects. We asked the Dr. about Cryosurgery which was minimally invasive and we felt would be the best way to treat my father’s cancer. The Carilion Dr. advised us that no one in the Roanoke area performed that surgery and that we would have to take my father to Duke or UVA. We advised him that we would not make a decision until we found more information on the procedures he wanted to perform. A week later we found out that Dr. Poffenberger at Lewis Gale did perform prostate Cryosurgery and made my dad an appointment. Dr. Poffenberger performed the Cryosurgery on my father with little to no side effects. My dad has had good PSA levels since. My family and I were totally shocked that a Dr. would not give us correct information to help my father, even if it meant referring him out of the Carilion system. Patients should seek outside referrals and not take one Dr.‘s suggestions for treatment. I am glad we had the information on alternative treatments and were given correct information, by a Dr. friend in the Carilion system. As a urogoligist I am sure that the Carilion Dr. had the same information that we were given about Dr. Poffenberger.
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Posted by ( Sgt Mom ) on August 29, 2008 at 5:50 am
I want to go on record that my family’s primary care comes from a Carilion clinic and we have been referred to doctors outside the Carilion system on multiple occasions. This has happened often enough that now we ask for in-system doctors when being referred.
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