N.C. Orthopaedic Clinic: Team approach to stellar patient care

posted January 11th, 2010

The care I received from each of you was excellent -- caring, genuine and competent.

The North Carolina Orthopaedic Clinic received the Team Strength, Hope and Caring Award.

Paul Tawney, M.D., Joe Minchew, M.D., Susan Furr, RN, and Priscilla Davis were nominated by a patient, who wrote:

"The care I received from each of you was excellent -- caring, genuine and competent. I hold your practice in the highest regard and am happy to refer others to you.

Dr. Tawney, I greatly appreciate your friendly demeanor couple with your expertise. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my complaints and helping me walk through all my options before referring me to Dr. Michew. Since experiencing a spinal headache following an epidural, I am horribly uneasy with needles in my back. However, I had the utmost confidence in your abilities for both of my steroid injections. Thank you also for sharing your own back struggles. I cannot tell you how encouraged I was that you had back surgery as a young man and went on to lead an active and productive life. It gave me great hope, especially when I decided to move forward with surgery. Though I hope I'm never in your office again, I am so grateful for the care you provided.

Dr. Minchew, I was very apprehensive during my first appointment. Of course, I was under the impression that all surgeons whisk you into surgery. I was shocked when you did not. You even encouraged me to try to avoid it if I could. During that first appointment, I was also very impressed that you did your own physical exam before consulting my MRI, so that you were not colored by the images. and though surgery evokes anxiety in everyone, I had the greatest confidence in your skills and abilities. You are a fantastic surgeon who also has a great "bedside manner." I am forever grateful for the pain your released me from.

Susan, thank you for so quickly responding to my call the day that I was in agonizing pain. Your voice was so genuine and caring, that though my pain was great, I was put at ease. You have a great gift of making patients feel cared for. Thank you so much.

Priscilla, I have never even met you, but I am so grateful for you. You were so kind when I burst into tears on the phone, and you were so quick to help me, and work with everyone to fit me into the surgical schedule. Thank you for so promptly returning my call and coordinating my care.

Thank you, thank you, thank you."