The July Turnover Issue

I was fortunate to have my medical training at a time when the diagnosis of cardiac disease was dramatically improved by x-ray (angiographic) and   laboratory techniques (cardiac catheterization) and to have been exposed to superb clinicians, including Maimonides Hospital's (Brooklyn) extraordinary clinician, Dr. William Dressler, the cardiology staff, led by Drs. Harrison and Hancock, at Stanford Medical Center (Palo Alto) and Stanford's cardiac surgery team, led by Norman Shumway, M.D.  So, when I needed a cardiac diagnostic procedure and surgery I was faced with making a choice: a community cardiologist or a University Medical Center cardiologist. And then decide between a reputable community cardiac surgeon and team or surgery at the nearby University.

It was early July.  Having served as a  clinical faculty member myself at Stanford, Chief of Staff of a large local hospital and a member of a large hospital system board of trustees, I had enough experience and information to make the decision. I balanced the choice of a community hospital staffed by physicians and nurses who did complicated procedures well every day and the choice of  going to a university medical center where I would be facing experienced faculty and a new crop of interns, residents and fellows.  I stayed local and have never regretted that decision.

For information that might affect your decision in similar circumstances, see the Medline  article and its related article which provides even more information.   Be sure to discuss this issue with your trusted personal physician as you  make your decision.