I have a newfound appreciation for my clinic at Gillette Children’s
I'm grateful for the effective and personalized care I receive there
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On a perfectly mundane February afternoon, my mom and I drove to downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. It’s a new ritual now that I’ve transitioned most of my care to Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare. Every six months or so, I spend the afternoon at their adult clinic, where I am swarmed by medical professionals with intimate knowledge of SMA.
After settling for doctors who, while trying their best, couldn’t give me the care I needed, Gillette’s all-day appointment bonanza — what they call their “neuromuscular coordinated clinic” (NMCC) — was a revelation. For years, my whole life, really, I had no choice but to drive 40 minutes one way for a single appointment. If it were a once-yearly thing, it wouldn’t have been that bad, but when you factor in all my various specialties, each with their own annual appointment … well, you get the idea.
Therein lies the genius of the NMCC. If the majority of your specialists are at Gillette, you can knock out several appointments in a single afternoon. Of course, you can do the same thing by scheduling several appointments one after another, but that only works if the openings are available.
No more juggling?
People joke about chronic illness being a full-time job. The joke becomes less funny when you consider all the juggling that comes with healthcare. Prescription drug coverage, insurance debacles, appointment schedules — all while managing your energy and monitoring symptoms. It’s exhausting.
Gillette gets that, which is why their NMCC is so helpful. Half a dozen appointments you no longer have to worry about. Prescriptions are refilled and sent to the pharmacy without you having to lift a finger. Insurance problems? Gillette will handle it, and what’s more, you can take comfort that they know what they’re doing.
Where everybody knows your name
Several years ago, I wrote a column about the clinic where I used to get my allergy shots. I loved the place. Everyone knew me, to the point where I didn’t even have to check in most days. The receptionist would see me coming, and with a wave of his hand, say, “Hey, Brie!”
As we were waiting between appointments, I told my mom that Gillette makes me feel like a VIP. I was joking, but also not really. At Gillette, everyone knows my name. They know what I do for a living. They know I’m back in school and ask me how it’s going. They know we have a recreational vehicle and ask if we have any trips planned.
Most importantly, they know me.
They know my SMA and how it affects my body.
They know my care plan and aren’t afraid to deviate from it.
They know from experience that my SMA puts a wrench in things, and as a result, are more than willing to say, “I don’t know the answer to that. Let’s find out.”
Every six months, I check in at the front desk. After meeting with an occupational therapist, I am ushered into a room where a smiling nurse takes my vitals. My list of medications is updated, and then I get an opportunity to make a note of anything I want to address by the end of the afternoon. All of this is spattered with easy conversation. I know these people, and they know me, and it’s funny, isn’t it, how effective healthcare becomes when it is accompanied by real, genuine care.
A few minutes later, my first doctor of the day arrives. Once that appointment is finished, they leave, and the next doctor takes their place. That’s right — they come to me. No rushing between floors or getting shuffled from room to room. It’s an assembly line with soul, and I, for one, am more than happy to be passed from one hand to the next — so long as they’re skilled hands, and when it comes to Gillette, you know they will be.
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Note: SMA News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of SMA News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to spinal muscular atrophy.
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