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09-11-2021, 18:20
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Boat: KH 49x, Custom
Posts: 1,759
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Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Hello all:
I'm looking for a doctor (General Practitioner) in the USA, preferably (but not necessarily) on the East coast of Florida, who is familiar with the cruising lifestyle.
I'm a Canadian citizen but no longer a resident, therefore I no longer have access to our Medical system. I do not have general health insurance in the USA, I only have calamity insurance, so I will be paying cash.
If any of you fit this description, or know of a doctor who does, please reply on the thread, or feel free to PM me.
Cheers, and thanks in advance.
Paul.
__________________
If you can dream it; with grit, you can do it.
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09-11-2021, 20:13
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#2
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: 29° 49.16’ N 82° 25.82’ W
Boat: Pearson 422
Posts: 16,306
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Perhaps a little more info would help.
Familiar with cruising lifestyle in what context?
Is this for a current, specific problem, are you just looking for a primary care physician for checkups and ongoing care, or consulting for an ocean voyage?
East coast of Florida is 400 miles, 500 if you start from Key West. There will be hundreds of doctors.
__________________
The water is always bluer on the other side of the ocean.
Sometimes it's necessary to state the obvious for the benefit of the oblivious.
Rust is the poor man's Loctite.
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10-11-2021, 04:43
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Boat: KH 49x, Custom
Posts: 1,759
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by skipmac
Perhaps a little more info would help.
Familiar with cruising lifestyle in what context?
Is this for a current, specific problem, are you just looking for a primary care physician for checkups and ongoing care, or consulting for an ocean voyage?
East coast of Florida is 400 miles, 500 if you start from Key West. There will be hundreds of doctors.
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Hello Skipmac. Thanks for your comment.
I'm looking for a primary care physician who understands that I'm not going to be living in his area. One who is willing to fax me a renewal for a prescription if I'm away. One who can think out of the box.
I'm willing to have a physician based just about anywhere south of Cape Cod. I'd hope for Beaufort NC and south, and my preference would be someone located between Ft Lauderdale and St Augustine.
Cheers.
Paul.
__________________
If you can dream it; with grit, you can do it.
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10-11-2021, 04:51
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Yuma Island
Posts: 1,579
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Get in touch with Alexandra Doerschel, who lives aboard a Fontaine-Pajot with her family, and is presently travelling the Bahamas, last I heard:
https://www.telakaihealth.com/
I believe Alexandra is exactly what you are looking for. I know her personally. She is not only likable, she is quite sharp.
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10-11-2021, 05:01
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: USA
Boat: Privilege 39+2'
Posts: 224
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
In the US I think you are looking for a family medicine physician, not a "GP" per se. You will find more FP's than GP's which only did an internship, whereas FP's completed a family medicine residency. Almost all newer medicine grads opt for residency because the GP thing is a career limiter. If your prescription is of the controlled variety, that could be tricky as the US physician system is finally starting to clean up the mess docs made by overprescribing opiate based narcotics so there is a lot more visibility and accountability than has historically been the case.
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10-11-2021, 05:06
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Seattle
Boat: Custom 38' Crabber
Posts: 80
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
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10-11-2021, 05:55
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Boat: KH 49x, Custom
Posts: 1,759
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by tamicatana
Get in touch with Alexandra Doerschel, who lives aboard a Fontaine-Pajot with her family, and is presently travelling the Bahamas, last I heard:
https://www.telakaihealth.com/
I believe Alexandra is exactly what you are looking for. I know her personally. She is not only likable, she is quite sharp.
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Thank you. I've clicked on the link, and with a cursory glance, I think I agree.
I'll contact her right away.
Thanks very much for the link.
Cheers.
Paul.
__________________
If you can dream it; with grit, you can do it.
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10-11-2021, 05:59
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Boat: KH 49x, Custom
Posts: 1,759
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Stephen, and roryboy:
Thanks for that information guys. I'm not looking for opiates, or anything that would be valuable on the "street". I'd like some yearly tests done (appropriate for your average 50 year old), and I have some meds I've been using for 25 years, which need frequent renewal.
That site might be just the thing I need for renewals. Thanks Roryboy.
Thanks for your comments.
Paul.
__________________
If you can dream it; with grit, you can do it.
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10-11-2021, 06:37
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Bellingham
Boat: Outbound 44
Posts: 9,319
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by GRIT
Hello Skipmac. Thanks for your comment.
I'm looking for a primary care physician who understands that I'm not going to be living in his area. One who is willing to fax me a renewal for a prescription if I'm away. One who can think out of the box.
I'm willing to have a physician based just about anywhere south of Cape Cod. I'd hope for Beaufort NC and south, and my preference would be someone located between Ft Lauderdale and St Augustine.
Cheers.
Paul.
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Be a little cautious how you phrase this when you are talking with the new doc. In the US the docs are licensed by state. So you don't want to mention you are out of state or out of country when you call in or email in for some service. Once they get to know you they maybe be more flexible. We've been shut off a call when they realized we were out-of-state and had to call back the next day and say we are back in-state to continue with the request.
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10-11-2021, 06:46
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Boat: KH 49x, Custom
Posts: 1,759
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Paul L:
Thanks for the reminder. I hadn't realized it would be an issue in the medical field too.
I've had this issue with stock sales, car dealerships, and various marine suppliers before too; so I'm usually careful to keep my location quiet, when dealing with anyone but my courier. But I'll confess to not even considering the medical field as being "territorial".
Now that I think of it, I can see why, but it hadn't dawned on me to consider it.
Cheers.
Paul.
__________________
If you can dream it; with grit, you can do it.
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10-11-2021, 07:21
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Chesapeake Bay
Boat: Hunnter Legend 37.5
Posts: 1,012
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
I am a licensed Pulmomary and critical care physician, and am familiar with the cruising life. We all help people out once in a while, but to accept a long term patient with little or no in person interaction is difficult because it is hard to render good treatment.
Perhaps if you find an internal medicine office with telemedicine capabilities, you will have better luck. Most likely, you will have to go to that office for the initial visit to establish yourself as a patient and then they can follow you up with telemedicine.
The state issue is less relevant. I can write a prescription for anyone in any state. This includes diagnostic tests, as well. The physical practice is State specific. In other words, I can only open an office or work in a hospital in those States in which I have a license, but if I give somebody a prescription in Pennsylvania and they travel to Florida they can still fill the prescription or get the diagnostic test in their home state.
Ben
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10-11-2021, 07:44
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Boat: KH 49x, Custom
Posts: 1,759
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by bensolomon
I am a licensed Pulmomary and critical care physician, and am familiar with the cruising life. We all help people out once in a while, but to accept a long term patient with little or no in person interaction is difficult because it is hard to render good treatment.
Perhaps if you find an internal medicine office with telemedicine capabilities, you will have better luck. Most likely, you will have to go to that office for the initial visit to establish yourself as a patient and then they can follow you up with telemedicine.
The state issue is less relevant. I can write a prescription for anyone in any state. This includes diagnostic tests, as well. The physical practice is State specific. In other words, I can only open an office or work in a hospital in those States in which I have a license, but if I give somebody a prescription in Pennsylvania and they travel to Florida they can still fill the prescription or get the diagnostic test in their home state.
Ben
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Thanks for your comments Ben. In particular; your comments on prescriptions was very helpful.
I'm willing to go to an office, and fully expect to have to do so, at least for the first meeting. I'd also like to go into the office once a year, for a physical, and so my doctor can keep up to date on my situation. I have 28 years worth of medical records on PDF, which may also help. But, as you said, an "in person" visit is the most sensible way for a physician to get to know me.
I've sent an e-mail to the telehealth site that Tamicatana suggested, and we'll see what they say.
I don't think anything can replace a "hands on" examination, but most of the time, it's not going to be feasible. Right now, for example, I'm "stuck" in Beaufort NC, and I had an appointment in St Augustine for the 15th I had to cancel today. Their next opening is in April.
It seems, for most specialties, a referral is needed. One of the things I need is someone with access, to "open the door" to allow me to use some of these services.
As an example: My mom died of an Aneurysm in 2019. Her doctor suggested that we kids should get tested with a brain scan to see if we had issues in that regard.
In Canada, my brother got tested quiet easily, because he has a doctor and access to healthcare. I had a harder time getting a test done. It was only after several dozen calls that I managed to find a sympathetic neurologist (who would normally require a referral to see him) to prescribe to me a scan (I have a PDF of that too).
The medical industry is a fairly closed system, and without someone to open the door for me, I'm restricted as to what I can have done; even paying cash.
I do not have access to my wife's medical insurance, as I'm not a resident of the USA, though I am a tax resident. It's complicated...
As Stephen MO pointed out, I don't know the correct terminology for the type of Doctor I'm looking for. I don't know the difference between an internal medicine doctor, a GP or a Family Practitioner. It all seems rather convoluted. I just want to find a regular old doctor, maybe a family practice, with a small office, and a dog in the foyer. Though I think Dr Quinn is now retired.
Thanks again for your comments.
Cheers.
Paul.
__________________
If you can dream it; with grit, you can do it.
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10-11-2021, 08:02
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Annapolis, MD
Boat: Southerly 480
Posts: 510
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Paul,
This may or may not help. Pre-Covid I traveled way too much, over 200,000 flight miles a year. I started to use OneMedical, https://onemedical.com/, because of their active telemedicine program. They also had offices in the the US cities I visited the most.
I've done a number of televisits, and office visits over the years. I've never waited more than 15min for an office visit. I believe they have televisits on demand. You can book an appointment at any office (or tele) via their app. Most of the offices have a phlebotomist at the office so you don't have to also go wait at Labcorp etc. if you need blood drawn.
They have an office in Raleigh, NC and they're opening one in Miami. They're way more west coast focused than east coast.
The only downsides are it costs $200/yr, and there may not be an office near you. I'm not sure they will understand the cruising life, but they definitely understood my nearly nomadic pre-covid life.
Good luck!
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10-11-2021, 08:06
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Boat: KH 49x, Custom
Posts: 1,759
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by shimari
Paul,
This may or may not help. Pre-Covid I traveled way too much, over 200,000 flight miles a year. I started to use OneMedical, https://onemedical.com/, because of their active telemedicine program. They also had offices in the the US cities I visited the most.
I've done a number of televisits, and office visits over the years. I've never waited more than 15min for an office visit. I believe they have televisits on demand. You can book an appointment at any office (or tele) via their app. Most of the offices have a phlebotomist at the office so you don't have to also go wait at Labcorp etc. if you need blood drawn.
They have an office in Raleigh, NC and they're opening one in Miami. They're way more west coast focused than east coast.
The only downsides are it costs $200/yr, and there may not be an office near you. I'm not sure they will understand the cruising life, but they definitely understood my nearly nomadic pre-covid life.
Good luck!
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Thank you shimari.
I'll write to them today. For many issues, telehealth may be the way to go.
Thanks.
Paul.
__________________
If you can dream it; with grit, you can do it.
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10-11-2021, 08:53
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Bellingham
Boat: Outbound 44
Posts: 9,319
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Re: Looking for a Doctor familiar with cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by bensolomon
I am a licensed Pulmomary and critical care physician, and am familiar with the cruising life. We all help people out once in a while, but to accept a long term patient with little or no in person interaction is difficult because it is hard to render good treatment.
Perhaps if you find an internal medicine office with telemedicine capabilities, you will have better luck. Most likely, you will have to go to that office for the initial visit to establish yourself as a patient and then they can follow you up with telemedicine.
The state issue is less relevant. I can write a prescription for anyone in any state. This includes diagnostic tests, as well. The physical practice is State specific. In other words, I can only open an office or work in a hospital in those States in which I have a license, but if I give somebody a prescription in Pennsylvania and they travel to Florida they can still fill the prescription or get the diagnostic test in their home state.
Ben
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Ben,
Tests and prescriptions cross state lines seems reasonable, but can you deliver treatment cross state lines where don't have a license via telemedicine?
As I mentioned above I've had a provider strongly balk at this due to license issues
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