Patient Stories
There IS another way
We work collaboratively and focus on what matters to you
This is a family affair. The consultation time includes meeting with designated family members, caregivers, and other members of your support team, as necessary to create a strategic care plan. Periodically, we will update select members of your support team to update the strategic plan, as needs change or when goals are achieved. Conferring with your current specialists and other care providers, we consolidate medications, and work to be sure that treatments and testing is likely to contribute to your quality of life instead of distracting you from how you want to spend this precious time.
Our approach reduces unnecessary visits to the doctor's office, emergency room, and hospital. Leaving more time in your home with your family making memories.
We develop a safety net, so that the patient and their family members don't fall into the gaps of the current healthcare system. Traditionally, if you have a problem on a Friday, you go to the ER. If you have a problem on a Friday, you call us. We work to prevent caregiver burnout for family and other caregivers. Keeping a watchful eye on the family of our patients comes natural to us as family doctors.
What are your goals of life, how do you want to spend your time? What is the legacy you want to leave? Within those first consultations we identify the things that matter to you and your loved ones and clarify the events that are important to you. We work to put those goals on a calendar and our goal is to support your goals.
Dr. Bush tells Bill's story
It was a Friday night, Kathy's husband Bil was short of breath. His normal pulmonologist was unavailable, the on call doctor advised he should go to the ER. When he arrived, he was then cared for by an entirely new team of people who were also unfamiliar with his story, case, medical history, and customized care plan. Their recommendation was to admit him "for a few days" which often becomes a week or two in the hospital, followed by two weeks in a rehab facility. "I don't want to get sucked up in the black hole of the medical establishment. Now, I know who to call on a Friday night, to get advice and direction. Someone who knows our story, and what's important to us." - Kathy Hollman
Bill became a client and our physician advocate, Dr. Bush ensured that going forward this situation could be resolved by a phone call or house call visit. Afterwards, Bill never needed to return to the hospital again. We were able to care for him in the comfort of his home, with input from his pulmonologist over time.
You may have a care plan that makes good sense, but either life's blessings or curveballs have made it obsolete.
William, with moderate dimentia, was able to live in his home with his daughter Cathy's oversight and several care providers through a home care agency. When the Coronavirus Pandemic struck the plan was modified to educate each of the care providers to create a collaborative strategic risk reduce plan for William, Cathy, her extended family members, and all of the care providers contracting the virus. In lieu of moving William to an assisted living facility, we were able to meet with and educate all the care providers and create a written care plan and list of agreements to reduce risk of COVID.
William was able to stay in his home.
"When healthcare business as usual fails to meet the needs of your reality."
-Dwana Bush, M.D.
William's story
"More hospitality, less hospital."
Cindy suffered from diabetes, had let her own healthcare fall to the wayside as she cared for her ailing husband. After, Cindy's husband passed, her mother, Gloria came to live with her. She had endured several prolonged hospitalizations for lung and heart problems.
Cindy, a patient of Dr. Bush's primary care office, had an office visit and Dr. Bush explained the services of Bridging the Gaps.
One Friday evening, Cindy called Dr Bush, flustered she said "Mama is not doing good, I don't know if I have to take her to the hospital." Dr. Bush was at home in her garden picking some herbs for a salad. She told Cindy to wait and she would be right over. When she arrived Gloria, with a gigantic smile, oxygen tank, and sleeping dog at her feet brightly said "Hi, Dr. Bush I've been looking forward to meeting you."
Gloria's goal was to dance in her grandson's wedding, which was to take place in four months. Her family sent us a video of her dancing at the wedding.