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I'm New - Trying to reach Dr. Kaufman, formerly @ Open Medicine Institute

StarChild56

Senior Member
Messages
1,405
Hello everyone,

I'm new to this site. I was diagnosed with CFIDS a bit over 2 years ago. I was ill for about 7 or 8 months. I got better, but I have other medical conditions which arose/flared. After my last 2 long illnesses, I have been having a CFIDS flare for most of this year. My PCP is stumped. He thought that my new allergist may offer help as they are immunologists, but he was not able to help. The allergist only deals with the immune system in relation to my severe environmental allergies.

I was excited to read here about Dr. Kaufman a couple of weeks back as I live in Northern California. I called the OMI a few days before June 1st and was told that Dr. Kaufman moved 2 doors down. I was given the new number. I called and the receptionist said that due to the move, the new schedule wasn't accessible. She took my name and number and said she'd call me as soon as she was able to schedule. She said that she was scheduling out new patient appointments in July/August. I didn't hear from her and called back about 2x in the following week, she took my name and number each time. No call back.

I finally called back after waiting a few more days, on this past Friday. The phone rang and rang many times then was picked up by what sounds like a personal cell phone generic message - "The caller isn't able to answer your call right now. Please leave a message." or something similar. I called twice more over the next couple of hours and same thing. No call back. Called OMI to verify the number and it was correct. I asked if Dr. Kaufman was still a part of OMI and was told he was not. I asked about another doctor that also treated CFIDS/ME, I forget her last name but it starts with a Ch and she too left OMI and they both moved 2 doors down.

I'm getting desperate as I am basically housebound and in bed most of the time. Has anyone here been in contact with Dr. Kaufman's new office as of June 1? Does anyone have any contact info they can share? Insight?

Is there another doctor anyone can recommend at OMI if I can't see Dr. K?

Thank you for reading through all of this if you have.
 
Messages
78
Location
Alberta, Canada
Hi @Forçe e Honra I understand the desperation you feel right now. It absolutely sucks to be sidelined with illness. Unfortunately, getting through the medical system with the types of ailments a lot of us deal with here on the forum takes a lot of patience, as I've learned :bang-head: not to mention seeing results from treatments themselves...

Even though you're not getting through right now, you might actually benefit from the changes that are happening with the move, as potentially getting an appointment as a new patient for July/August is a lot better than the 6 month wait that I overheard them talking about when I visited in May. I think they're still in the process of getting things moved over and it makes sense that their first priority right now is to take care of their current patients which I imagine have been contacting them a lot too to inquire about the change. I wouldn't be too worried at this point that they're not getting back to you as they're just not settled down yet (for some insight, I'm having issues getting in touch with Dr. Kaufman directly via email, which is a bit unusual for my experience with him and seems to be a reflection of the move).
 

StarChild56

Senior Member
Messages
1,405
Hi @Forçe e Honra I understand the desperation you feel right now. It absolutely sucks to be sidelined with illness. Unfortunately, getting through the medical system with the types of ailments a lot of us deal with here on the forum takes a lot of patience, as I've learned :bang-head: not to mention seeing results from treatments themselves...

Even though you're not getting through right now, you might actually benefit from the changes that are happening with the move, as potentially getting an appointment as a new patient for July/August is a lot better than the 6 month wait that I overheard them talking about when I visited in May. I think they're still in the process of getting things moved over and it makes sense that their first priority right now is to take care of their current patients which I imagine have been contacting them a lot too to inquire about the change. I wouldn't be too worried at this point that they're not getting back to you as they're just not settled down yet (for some insight, I'm having issues getting in touch with Dr. Kaufman directly via email, which is a bit unusual for my experience with him and seems to be a reflection of the move).

Thank you very much, this is quite reassuring, and you made excellent points. I tried to remind myself I didn't get sick yesterday, and I won't get well tomorrow. I don't even know what my "well" will be at this point in time.
 

StarChild56

Senior Member
Messages
1,405
@Forçe e Honra

FYI: When I became a patient at OMI last year Dr. Chheda was the only one accepting new patients.

Thank you. I was very worried about that. To my surprise, when I spoke to Dr. Kaufman's office staff the first time on June 1 and asked if he is accepting new patients I was told he is. I asked how far out new patients were being scheduled and she said July/August. That was really encouraging.

I will be calling again today, hopefully I will get through.
 

TrixieStix

Senior Member
Messages
539
Thank you. I was very worried about that. To my surprise, when I spoke to Dr. Kaufman's office staff the first time on June 1 and asked if he is accepting new patients I was told he is. I asked how far out new patients were being scheduled and she said July/August. That was really encouraging.

I will be calling again today, hopefully I will get through.
That's great for you. And also interesting as I wonder what they will be doing different at the new clinic that will allow him to increase his patient count?
 

Oberon

Senior Member
Messages
214
Thank you. I was very worried about that. To my surprise, when I spoke to Dr. Kaufman's office staff the first time on June 1 and asked if he is accepting new patients I was told he is. I asked how far out new patients were being scheduled and she said July/August. That was really encouraging.

I will be calling again today, hopefully I will get through.

They told me this too and when i called back a week later they said he isn't accepting new patients and it's only Dr. Chheda.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
Update! So excited - just scheduled my first visit with Dr. Kaufman for July 24th!!!! I am so very happy I can't stand it! Thanks for all the help and encouragement. I can't believe I can get in so quickly!

I just replied to you in the other thread but this is great news and July is not too far away! :star:
 

StarChild56

Senior Member
Messages
1,405
That's great for you. And also interesting as I wonder what they will be doing different at the new clinic that will allow him to increase his patient count?

That is really a good question (about the wait time being so short/accepting new patients at his new office).
 

Kati

Patient in training
Messages
5,497
That is really a good question (about the wait time being so short/accepting new patients at his new office).
The offices at OMI were small and the doctors schedules was probably restricted due to room availablilty. There might be other factors, but having been at OMI I know it was a problem.
 

StarChild56

Senior Member
Messages
1,405
Heh so I actually called in again today based on Force getting an appointment and Dr. Kaufman was taking new patients, so maybe it's a matter of luck on when you call in?

Or maybe things were just really chaotic while moving? I called and got weird cell phone messages and couldn't get a live person. Maybe things are smoothed out now.

I'm glad yoy called back and got an appointment!