Beth Israel Neurology

The next step was dealing with the results of the referral.

It did not work out well.

Probably there isn't a problem with Beth Israel neurology in general.
The problem may only have affected uninsured patients referred by community health centers.

To the doctors' credit, the first thing they asked me was "Are you sure you want to be treated here? Do you want a referral to an MS Comprehensive Care Center?"

The reason I said "here" was because I knew how I could pay for it. I  had a 60% discount from the financial assistance ofc and a job.

The doctor in charge of my case was a resident. This meant he was completely unreachable between appointments, which were 2 or 3 months apart. I could not reach the attending physician either. So I got no feedback at all about new symptoms or any other issues.

The bright spot was radiology. The radiology department was on the third floor of 10 Union Square East, also known as the Louis Armstrong wing. A wonderful picture of Satchmo when he was young and cute was prominently displayed by the elevator. I visited it twice every time I was there, which was twice for MRI's, and twice more for medical records, so I could go somewhere else. Even the medical records dept. of radiology was nicer than that of neurology.

I had a total of 2 neurology visits to Beth Israel. One in September 2010, the 2nd in December. The resident/attending pair from the first visit was apparently not available for the 2nd, so that time I saw a different duo.

In September they ordered a lumbar MRI. In December I found out it showed no lesions. In December they ordered a new brain MRI, which I had on January 5.

My next appointment was to be in February. I prepared to demand a contact person I could reach between visits. The stand I anticipated making was not to be. When my husband & I arrived,  slides from my first brain MRI in tow so they could compare them with the new one, we were told my appointment had been cancelled.

That's when I resolved to switch where I was getting treatment. Enter the
NYU Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Care Center,Dr. Jonathan Howard, and the next chapter in my multiply scleroded life.