And another doc bites the dust . . .

Well guess what boys n' gals?

My psychiatrist is closing his private practice.

Just when we had finally wrangled out a good working relationship, too!

I am SO glad that I stuck with it, and him, and didn't give up on him as my psychiatrist. I learned alot about myself, although I'm also left in alot of confusion because I don't know that his perspective on my trying to follow through on making sure he gave me the medical records, is the right one.

I'm also wondering if I'll feel depressed and abandoned the closer the "end" comes. He's continuing to provide care until December 1. I happen to have a November appointment with him.

Great time of year to try to find a new psychiatrist . . . aren't the holidays a busier time for these folks, what with SAD, and holiday depression and stuff?

I'm not sure about using one my ologist recommends; I asked him about it this summer, when I was considering my options. He has a couple he refers people to, but patients who've had Dr. Brinley, and then gone to these two, said they liked Dr. Brinley better (and these are patients who left Dr. Brinley because of not getting along with him, I think.)

Do psychiatrists, in general, TEND to average more arrogant than other people? If so, is it just a natural part of the confidence one needs to effectively treat people, and stuff?

So I'm rather nervous about the whole prospect of finding a good iatrist. I'm not gonna go for a D.O., though, because I think some of our problems stemmed from coming from different theoretical backgrounds/approaches to mental illness, at least my mental illnesses.

What kind of Psychiatrist Finder options are out there, anyway? Online networks or other . . . I know there's pay services to look up all the info you want on a doc, but that's not what I'm talking about.

I know I don't like the lady psychiatrist who filled in for him last summer, but she works up in Logan most of the time anyway.

I have read many a site listing questions to ask prospective iatrists, and after my experiences with mine, I have a few of my own to throw in the mix. But still, that doesn't give me a place to start, and after that, it still doesn't help much until I'm actually in front of one to ask them the questions.

Here's a bit from the letter I rec'd today about WHY he's closing his practice.

1. Numerous patients ('new' and 'old') do not keep their appointments. I have a specific time reserved and allotted for each patient.
2. Many patients have not kept their financial commitments.
3. All Insurance Companies have dramatically diminished their fees. Thus, I cannot cover the rising cost of doing business.
4. All Insurance Companies have radically limited my ability to provide quality psychiatric care (i.e.: they dictate which medications will and will not be covered; they limit which illnesses they recognize [thus no payment is permitted although services have been provided]; they significantly limit the number of visits per year for all patients regardless of need; there is an excessive amount of phone calls and paperwork required to provide care for "their" clients; etc.).

I wondered what was up when, a few months ago, I learned he had gotten a job half-days at a hospital. Then, recently, he was gone for awhile down to St. George, subbing as they had a real shortage of psychiatrists, I guess, at a hospital there. He's not moving there, though.

So, I'm guessing he'll be doing hospital work full-time now.

I also suspect his suspension last year soured him on people and things. Perhaps he feels vulnerable to more of the same, but you have patients no matter where you are practicing, and in whatever setting.

So, change. Scary. BIG change.

Or, I could just skip the psychiatrist thing entirely, and follow one of his several ideas at the beginning of the letter, which is to have meds managed by my primary care physician.

That, though, I think will not be best for the long run, but will give me time to find an iatrist I like.