Talk of The Villages Florida - Medical care in the Villages

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- Medical and Health Discussion (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/medical-health-discussion-94/)

- - Medical care in the Villages (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/medical-health-discussion-94/medical-care-villages-353248/)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColtsFan (Post 2373614)

Another vote for Alliant Dermatology. Dr. Casper is great and also luck with other doctors there. We finally found a family doctor we love. The great doctors are here, you just have to find them.

If you don’t mind sharing, who is your family doctor?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ofcred (Post 2373480)

Hi Neighbors,
I moved here 2 yrs ago and immediately heard about the medial care. Because of all that I heard I continued to fly back to Michigan for any continuing issues I may have had. This wears thin after awhile and so I found some Dr's here. Some have been good and some just ok.
I felt compelled to write this because of a recent incident I had with Premier Medical associates in Lady Lake . I decided to try a dermotologist for my annual skin exam.
Now let me preface this with a little back ground of my experience from my MI exam. I had to lay on a table. The PA used a hand held magnifying glass and went over every inch of my body. Anything she questioned she had a larger magnifying glass with a light and went over it again. If it was covered with skin it got checked, every crack and crevice ie: between my toes, fingers the bottom of my feet.
This exam started with the questions of why I was there. I explanined that I have had breast cancer in the past and that my mom and aunt had skin cancer. I'm also very fair and covered in freckles.
I was never asked to remove any under garments. The PA had me stand next to the wall. I would be generous if I said this exam took 5 minutes.
My gown opened in the back. The PA did a quick scan of my back by eyeball, quickly felt up and down my arms. She never looked at my chest, upper thighs, my feet or hands/fingers. I told her I had eczema in my ears which she never looked at. She did a quick scan of one side of my head and said I had psoriasis. That was the extent of the exam.
I was dumbfounded that being in a state known for its abundance of sunshine (which I'm sure has a large amount of skin cancer) could be so cavalier about something that could be so deadly.
I'm sure others will say they have had good experiences but I just wanted to vent and perhaps let others know that this is not the norm when having skin exam.

Unless I missed it in your testimonial, did you ever address these concerns, in real time, with the practitioner?

Had the same experience with dermatologist at PMA. I will never go back to this particular dermatologist again. however, that being said my husband has a very good dermatologist at the same practice (PMA) - but different office location. You must be proactive with your care - you need to report this to your primary care physician and request a new dermatologist who meets your criteria. (which I believe is the only criteria to follow), If we don't report inadequate/inappropriate care - it will continue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by courtyard (Post 2373494)

I would recommend anyone coming here to keep in touch with your former doctors because you will find that your body will be riddled with cancer before you know it and the primary care doctors, urologists, dentists, gynecologists and other specialists will never let you know until its too late.

What??? If that’s what you think then just skip going to a dr forever. Save everyone’s time and energy and leave more appointment times open for the rest of us.

heard bad things about Premier. will never go there for anything. Alliant derm is the place to go

How do you determine if a Dr is really good? Many people judge Dr's by bedside manner - as a former health care professional I knew by the inside reputation of the Dr. I had that advantage. The public does not.

Like everything else, there are Good Doctors, not-so-good Doctors and Bad Doctors. Medical care is both a Science and an Art . . . a Good Doctor is knowledgeable and good at both. With the internet, you can educate yourself, then have an informed discussion with your doctor regarding any anomalies that you notice or that are discovered by your physician. It is essential for people to "manage" their doctors to ensure that they're receiving the correct and best care. A Good Doctor will appreciate your knowledge and work with you to ensure that you receive the proper care.

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Originally Posted by msilagy (Post 2373683)

You answered your own question……talk to other healthcare professionals. My wife was one and investigated the background and education. Referral buy other healthcare professionals is best. Then if you get one that is not good, drop them and find another. That goes for the healthcare system &, insurance. Utilize only the doctors for initial visits, nurse practitioners next. PAs only after you trust the Doctor.

I don’t understand why people think this is acceptable. When I have a conversation about life in TV the conversation is always about the squares, parties, games etc. most of us have a medical condition that requires a doctor visit. We have to wait months for one, usually see a nurse practitioner instead. I started with a doctor I liked and after the second visit I was transferred to a NP. Then I was diagnosed by her that my diabetes was out of control and I needed to inject insulin. I wasn’t happy with that, went back to my original doctor in Jacksonville who verified everything was fine. I left Centerwell here to continue with treatment in Jax. Now Centerwell is being annoying trying to get me back as a patient. Won’t happen. I’m not alone in this but most others just say oh well everything else is great. Nope

We absolutely got a more thorough exam in Michigan. I’m very happy with the Dr at Alliant Dermatology. I wasn’t thrilled with the PA…

Another vote for Alliant Dermatology. Dr. Casper and his team are excellent. After having two bouts with melanoma before moving to Florida, I consider myself a highly "experienced" patient. Previously, I had been treated at one of the nation's premier cancer centers, and am acutely aware of what a thorough skin check involves, and I can say without hesitation that Alliant checks all the boxes. We are also very happy to have found an excellent primary care doctor. There are extremely good doctors out there...you just need to expend a little effort to find them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatorbill1 (Post 2373496)

You have both good or excellent doctors here and also poor or OK doctors - the same you will find anywhere you go. No reason to fly to get care unless absolutely need a certain specialist.

Don’t agree. One’s perspective on this will depend on the quality of care from their previous location(s). We come from a city with excellent care and many options. Good competition between medical facilities. Health care in TV is sub par at best.

Sounds thorough to me for Dermatology. They wouldn't check your breasts as that's the physician's job.

I find the comment re "we'll be riddled with cancer" 100% wrong and a bit hysterical.

My wife and I see Dr. Jeff Morris at Alliant Dermatology. Very happy with Dr. Morris and the staff there.