Why am I trying
a new practice model?
I am interested in a practice that creates partnerships with my patients that are effective in helping you attain your optimum level of health. The practice strives to be safe and reliable, while respecting the issues that are important to you. There will be a major focus on efficiency, and removing delays from our interactions. While many practices attempt to achieve these goals, many fall short.
I will be experimenting with an innovative practice model called the “Ideal Micropractice”. I will not be using support personnel, so the practice is necessarily smaller than in the current traditional model.
I am experimenting with this new practice model for two main
reasons. First, I am very disappointed
with the performance of the current practice model for a General
Internist. It is not able to meet the
needs of my patients, nor deliver the clinical outcomes that I want to
provide. Secondly, with my new
responsibilities at
I believe this new practice will be able to fit in my available time, while actually making me more available than I was in my traditional practice. The increased availability will be possible due to a reduction in my practice size as well as leveraging technology such as mobile phones, the internet, and electronic information systems.
I must be honest; this new practice model is experimental. It is only being done in a limited number of practices across the country. But, I believe strongly in the philosophy and am committed to see it succeed.
I hope you will embark on this new journey with me. I think it will be exciting and I hope that it develops into one of the many solutions necessary to fix the current healthcare system.
Assessing Your Healthcare Needs
In preparation for your visit, I encourage all of my patients to complete the online survey at the following web site:
Password: egim11
This is a site that was developed by the group at
Practice Logistics
Contacting My New Practice
Phone Number: (866) 750-2089 (Starting September 1, 2006)
This is my personal number and is available 24 hours a day, and 7 days per week. If you get voice mail, I am with a patient or attending to my new responsibilities. I will return your call within one hour.
Back-up Number: (404) 321-0111
The Emory Clinic operators at this number can page me directly.
If this is an emergency such as chest pain, severe
breathing difficulties, or another immediate emergency, please call 911, or go
to the closest emergency room.
eMail: DrGitomer@onebox.com
I have access to this account 24/7. Over the years, I have found this to be a very effective means to communicate with the following two caveats:
1) eMail cannot be used for urgent messages. There are times when email is not 100% reliable.
2) Privacy: Messages sent by eMail over the internet are not secure. Therefore, do not send any sensitive information that you would not want others to see.
3) If you are interested in email communications, please return the email authorization form by fax to (866) 750-2089.
After Hours Calls
I will handle these calls personally through the phone number above.
Inpatient Coverage
My Hospital Medicine
colleagues will continue to provide inpatient services for my patients. As the new Chief
Quality Officer of
Vacation & Travel
I will continue to carry my cell phone when I am out of town. Therefore, I will be available. There may be times when I am unable to handle calls (in transit, or out of range). In those instances, the voice mail message will let you know how long I intend to be unavailable and give instructions for who is covering me. This will usually be someone from my old practice. I anticipate these periods of unavailability will be brief and infrequent.
Office Visits
Location:
5th Floor,
I will be seeing you for your appointment in an exam room on
the fifth floor of the
Turn left out of the elevator lobby and take the first right.
Go straight and follow the signs to the Hospital Medical Services.
After you enter the Medical Services suite there is a waiting room on the right.
I will meet you in the waiting room and escort you to the exam room, around the corner. If you are waiting more than 15 minutes, please call me on the cell phone listed above.
Unlike my practice to date, I will not have set specific days or hours for appointments. We will schedule appointments at times that are convenient for both of our schedules.
Appointment Scheduling
You can schedule an appointment by calling my contact number, or we will schedule follow-up appointments at the time of your visit.
Medication Refills
My preference is to give you prescriptions with adequate refills during your office visit. We will make this a priority by checking with you each visit on your need for refills.
If this fails, please have your pharmacy fax a refill request to (866) 750-2089. If faxed before 5:00, I will complete by the next morning. Othewise, I will complete the following day.
Please pay attention to your refills and make requests during regular office hours.
Referrals
All referrals and pre-certifications will be made at the time of your visit. For those that occur outside of the office, I will communicate with you by phone or email.
Billing & Other Financial Matters
All billing and financial matters will continue to be through The Emory Clinic, Inc. However, I will be performing the check-in and check-out process. The back-office functions will still be performed by The Emory Clinic.