when a provider gets it right

I sent a thank you note today (from time to time, I like to use my powers for good).

Dear Doctor X [Chief of Anesthesia at Big Hospital]: I wanted to take this opportunity to commend your entire team for its thorough engagement with me after my inquiry about glucose control protocols while I prepared for my most recent surgery at Big Hospital at the end of last month.

Doctor Y herself [Head of Preoperative Clinic] took the time to review my preoperative instructions with me the week before surgery, including explaining the rationale behind stopping supplements, etc.  On the morning of my procedure, which was mercifully scheduled as first case, Ms. Nurse Manager made it a point to introduce herself upon my admission to the pre surgery unit and to explain the improvements that Big Hospital is making, giving me the chance to calibrate my home meter against the first reading taken. I noted also an intraoperative and a postoperative blood glucose reading in eCare. I would like to commend your team for their thoroughness in my treatment, which I know encompassed much, much more than blood glucose monitoring, and their detailed record-keeping.

As a person with diabetes, I am accustomed to managing my own condition for the 99% of the time that I am not in contact with the medical system. I take this responsibility seriously, and so I am prone to remain somewhat vigilant even amidst the medical system absent a very clear handoff. It was a relief to be able to turn over the reins, so to speak, of my diabetic care with confidence for the time when I was unconscious.

Finally, I remain impressed that the "Patient Feedback" button on your department's website goes straight to the top. It speaks well of you and your team that you seek to interact with patients without hiding behind rank. I can only say that my anesthesia experience has proven very positive and I thank you all sincerely for your efforts, your time, and your knowledge and skill.