Be Prepared

It looks like changes for Danny and I are always coming. I wonder if we are the poster children for being prepared, as we most of the time are not. So if you never learn anything else from me, please take the example that it is better to be prepared for the unknown, than to let the unknown happen and not know what to do. (Please trust me on this! It is not a fun lesson to keep learning)

Yesterday, out of no where, I lost my job. In December of 2008 one of the Doctors that I worked for announced he was leaving the practice to join another one. As I was unhappy about a few of the same things he was, I took this opportunity to go with him into a new adventure. He happily told me where to apply and even talked to the manager about me and I was hired. I even got to keep my part-time status, got a raise in pay and met a ton of new people and a learn new part of the medical field. Dr. B joined Northern Az Orthopaedics, he was to be thier general practice doc, but got to keep his patients too. Along with me came his MA, Larry. The 3 of us have a great relationship, we work well together and I believe it got passed onto the patients, who seemed to enjoy things once we got settled.

It has now been 9 months and we thought all was going well. There have been afew bumps, since an Orthopaedic practice does not know how to run a Family Practice. Dr B was thankful to have Larry and I around to get things rolling, as the company did order half of the things needed for his practice. As it turns out, this is what killed Larry and I. NAO has a it's "mother company" in Flagstaff, they quickly fired the local manager in January, not long after we started. This brought two of the higher managers commuting to Prescott Valley, on and off. They wanted us to understand that we were not a "lesser" sub-form of the Flag office, although that is how we felt half the time. One manager, even though, she was the one I thought was on my side, did not appreciate that Larry and I knew as much as we did, and she was upset that she could not break the bond between the Doctor and us. Apparently in this company they want the Doctors to only interact with supervisors and not talk directly to the employees. Dr B constantly stood up for Larry and I and would not give in to the "let the bosses handle the problem" mentatlity.

In April the practice hired a PR company to come in and revamp our logo and customer service skills. Yesterday they came to unveil all the changes to be made, and give the tools to be ranked with The Ritz Carlton in our customer service. I actually enjoyed what they had to say. I believe the theory they were protraying. The inner motto is now "Every patient is a friend". Larry and I treated all our patients that way already. Not only was I working front desk for Dr B, but we also had our physical therapy dept, in my building and a couple of the Flag Docs used my bldg as a satellite office. Especially with PT I get to see these people 2-3 times a wk for about 6 wks, you get to know these people. As they came in I would joke and kid them, so many would smile and laugh when I would tease them about the "torture" about to be inflicted upon them in PT. Sonce, most of Dr B's patients came from the old office, I knew them well also. I could do the same thing with them. I truely enjoyed all the people I worked with directly every day. However, this PR CO. felt that Larry and I still saw ourselves as being employed by Dr B, and not NAO. They told the higher ups and the CEO that they felt we would not "buy" onto this new philosphy of making everyone feel comfortable. So, mid day I was "let go" along with Larry.

Now Thursday is Dr B's day off, and he left shortly after the early morning presentation, since he did not have clinic. Larry immediately called him to let him know. (Since we both have his cell phone number) He was furious, although I'm not sure that is the right word for how angry he was. However, since he does not run the office he has no say. He told both of us that he feels they were really after him, since he was not "bowing down" to thier way. He would not give up the relationship with either one of us, he felt it added to the overall patient experience. He ended up hanging up on the CEO if the company. He aplogized for the way we were treated and felt that it was really the one supervisor who felt intimidated because Larry and I would speak up with the running of our bldg. As far as me not believing I worked for NAO, I asked to go to Flag for further training on the systems and to see how they operate. I was one of the only PV employee to go to Flag last weekend for the company picnic. Meanwhile, I was trying to hype all of the local peeps to go with me, this was actually a suggestion from the one superviser. I actually convinced Larry to go and then one of the other girls in my bldg to go too. The other employees who have been with the company longer did not want to go since they did not feel that they were a part of the "whole company." I am not sure how much more I could do to protray that I was member of NAO. I helped with the other bldgs when I needed to, covered for others when tragedy would strike and someone would need to leave for the day. I guess that Dr B was right and they had this planned from the get go. Keep the new doc happy give him whatever he wants, then when they feel that they have him, pull the mats out from under him.

I don't know what we will do, Danny's money -job situation is not real sound either since we have found out a few things as to how the bike shop is paying him. I guess this is when we trust in the Lord and wish we were better at preparing for the unknown. Like always when something happens. I know that something will work, I hope we stay here, I do NOT want to move again, Danielle is in a great school and has some opportunities for her future, I love my ward and the friends I have made. But one thing Danny and I know is that when the Lord reveals what to do next you better do it, or things will get worse. We have tried to fight the Lord's will before and it is just not worth it. Even though I am greatly upset about what was said to me yesterday, that I know I worked hard and that the patients enjoyed thier time in my bldg, no matter what they were there for. I look forward to whatever may come next for me. Maybe I'll finally take some classes and write the books I have always wanted to.