doctor t in the operating room for surgical venous vascular surgery clinic.

Many of you know that I used to be an attending physician in an Emergency Department before I did more training…passed another board exam…and worked as a vein doctor…specializing in diagnosing and treating spider veins and varicose veins.

Many of my patients have asked if I missed being in the ER…missed the “excitement”…missed the variety.

Some aspects yes, some no,

On the Yes side: I miss the absolutely miraculous experience of instantly relieving troubles…pain, nausea, fear. The delicious taste of being right about a diagnosis and in a critical second making a fix that sends a loved one home with their family instead of…not. The list of plusses is long.

On the No side: I really dont miss the variety of drunken idiots and their various ways of being a nuissance before they vomit on me and/or my co-workers. Do you now wonder less about why ER docs wear scrubs instead of formalwear? The lists of minuses is also very long.

But…missing things is not the same as being rueful about things. I don’t regret my decisions one bit. I don’t regret my days in Emergency Medicine, I don’t regret the choice to change gears either.

Hmmm…that also brings up another philosophical point: decisions vs choices.

You: Waitaminnit Dr Dave…is there a difference between the two?!

Me: Turns out, there is…ahem…

Decisions are whittling away…like Jed Clampett on a piece of wood…at options…employing some logic…following some kinda algorithm maybe…until you are left with the path to take that suits you best. And like Jed, sometimes that path leads to “bubblin’ crude”…”texas tea”…and other times, just crawdads. Decisions require some thinking, reasoning.

Choice means selecting. That’s it. Sometimes you have more than one option, other times just the one. Choices require pointing and doing. Sounds simpler than “deciding” but way, way harder to do in practice.

OK…so let’s bring this closer to home. Many of my patients…especially the ones who are annoyed by chronic symptoms such as leg swelling, cramps, restless legs, tired/heavy legs…along with varicose veins and spider veins…have decided that it’s time to do something about it.

That’s great and all…but quite often there’s a gap…sometimes the size of the one between David Letterman’s front teeth…other times like the Grand Canyon….between Decision and Choice. That gap is really normal and understandable. Change…even for the better…is sometimes difficult to do. Inertia keeps the Voyager probe going off towards other galaxies…but it also keeps a moon rock in the same place for millions of years. Funny stuff, inertia.

“Inertia keeps the Voyager probe venturing off towards other galaxies…but it also keeps a moon rock in the same place for millions of years”

When circumstances were such that I went “solo”,  I had the opportunity to create not only a practice but a culture of how I wanted to care for and interact with patients. I wanted to have a place where patients feel that it’s a no-brainer to make a choice of where they wanted to receive their vein care. I followed a very simple guide with only one rule to follow: create a place that I would want to go to myself.

So…what would get me off my tush and onto the road to happier legs? What would be on my wish list of qualities in a vein treatment practice? Here they are:

  • Doc must know what he is doing; must be board-certified.CHECK!I’m actually one of less than a thousand docs accross the world who has achieved certification by the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine. Booyah! It hangs on the wall next to the other 2 board exams I’ve passed in the past…Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine. Triple-Booyah!
  • I’d want continuity; not a different person involved with different aspects of my care.CHECK!I’m the only person involved with every aspect of my patients’ care from first visit to last.
  • I want to have discussions, not be condescended to, regarding my care.CHECK!I’m an advisor…the patient is the “President Of Their Body”. I do my best to make sure that POTB is updated with all relevant info to make the best DECISION they can…and CHOOSE wisely.
  • I want transparency regarding, well….EVERTHING. Medical things. Financial things. All of it.CHECK!I hate surprises (party-planners take note) and I’m sure my patients do too. There is no such thing as a bad question. Bring a list with you to your consultation…or to every visit for that matter.
  • I want the reassurance to know that my doc is approachable and findable.CHECK!Every patient gets my email address and cell phone number. Despite this, I rarely get emails/calls. Wanna know why? First, thank G-d, the procedures are low-risk with minimal, if any, residual discomfort. Next and most important…I make sure that Ive spelled out what to expect before/during/after all procedures [see surprise-hatred above]. Nonetheless, if you need me, I’m findable.
  • I wouldn’t mind it so much if the doc was a good conversationalist…given the fact that there is no sedation with procedures…which leaves ample talk-time.CHECK!I’ve been listening to myself for almost 45 years and I’m still not tired of me! Heheheh. Sigh.

So…those are the things that I thought would be key in creating the best experiences for my patients. You are free, and encouraged, to look around; refer to my checklist when you do. Unfortunately, [Spoiler Alert],none of the other places will have The Rosen Vein Care Difference.

I could keep typing about it until all I’m left with is some stubby nubbins for fingers…or…you can hear it from some of my patients themselves by looking at some testimonials ….or by watching a video.

Well Madam/Mister POTB…

I’m pretty sure I’ve given you some useful info to help you whittle away some decisions. If you need some more medical info, my website is chock-full-o’helpful information.

In the end, there can be only one…choice: RosenVeinlander.

Allright…a bit melodramatic…but I work hard to make sure you feel it’s one of the easiest & best choices you’ve ever made! I promise my vein skills are way better than my photoshop skills. And no…vein docs from the Chicagoland area don’t meet up and do battle until the last one standing reigns supreme. Not until The Gathering, anyway. [Wow, I’m such a nerd!]

And so we come to the end of another blog post. How about a recap?

  • Decisions require reasoning. Choices require action.
  • I devote considerable effort in ensuring to help make your decisions and choices easy.
  • I’m a nerd. It’s ok…I own it. But I love what I do and have a blast doing it.

If you’d like to get down to the nitty gritty about the costs of vein treatments, how about downloading my free and informative and did I say Free Guide To Vein Treatment Costs …click the button below.

If, on the other hand, you are ready to Chose to start down the road to happy, healthier legs right now…go ahead and call 847-272-8346

or Click The Button Below to schedule your consultation appointment

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