The letter to me Friday read:

Dear Dr. Downey:

Congratulations! You have once again been recognized as a Patients’ Choice physician.

The Patients’ Choice honor is given to you as a reflection of your patients’ continued appreciation and praise for the quality of care and service you provide.

Every month, more than 200,000 patients across the U.S. provide online feedback about their doctor experiences. They rate various components of the care they receive, such as bedside manner, doctor-patient face time, follow-up care, ease of appointment setting, and courtesy of office staff. They also share their overall opinions.

Over the course of 2011, hundreds of thousands of patient reviews were written and shared. While physicians generally receive positive feedback from their patients, only a select few consistently receive rave reviews. Of those with high praise, only physicians like yourself – with near perfect scores – have been voted by their patients for this honor.

In fact, of the nation’s 720,000 active physicians, only 5 percent were accorded this honor by their patients in 2011.

You are, indeed, the Patients’ Choice; a physician so highly regarded by patients that they feel the need to talk to others about the positive influence of your work.

______________________________________

Vitals.com, like Avvo.com, has a patient-driven rating system whose data is reviewed. A physician hungry for hits cannot simply write a check to jack his ratings. Many of these awards sites are cheesy with questionable methodologies. Vitals.com is not.

Three weeks of operations, and the exhilaration is palpable. Our patients comment on the new energy and enthusiasm we all project. That is nice to hear, given that we all feel that way too. We have additional cause to pause and acknowledge the tender, quiet and substantial contributions to our family provided by Kim Wilson, MA, who is leaving the practice in April. We have cause to celebrate the addition of a new staff member, Janet McAuslan, MA, who brings considerable experience and vision to the practice. Farewell Kim, howdy Janet. Despite all the comings and goings of colleagues in my various work venues, departures and arrivals still are for me the hardest thing to get used to. Happy Sunday. Resume spring cleaning, even if it is just your desktop computer’s hard drive.

Same practice, many hats. It is great to have a simpler, richer, more varied work life. The complexities of a full spectrum plastic surgery practice combined with running a small business now in its second week of rebirth has been truly exhilarating. I give thanks to my work companions Anna, Joni, and Colleen, who both put up with my buzzing around, as well as for their steady, high quality work ethic. They continue to warmly care for our patients and help them feel welcome. We are carefully repopulating the office staff for two clinical positions. Many applicants, some with quite interesting backgrounds. Like a doula from Lithuania. Or a doctor expat from Cuba. Their stories are fascinating. Stay tuned for the final results of this search.

Have a nice weekend. Clean a room. Write a letter. Prepare a simple meal from scratch. Then completely clean the kitchen.

Hello everyone!

This post marks the refresh of a number of pieces of my relationship with you and the specialty of plastic surgery. Downey Plastic Surgery has enjoyed five great years of service to patients in the Pacific Northwest. Located on the campus of Northwest Hospital in North Seattle, it has been a delight to serve patients from this beautifully constructed, modern office space. My staff and I just love how its layout turned out to be better than anticipated in permitting us to provide best-practices modern plastic surgical care. Particularly our in-office procedure rooms, which offer patients convenience, safety, and privacy. I am excited to continue service patients in this great office venue.

Next,  you will note that you are reading a blog on this website, for which I say “It’s high time!”. An easy to read, brief update on the practice, especially related to upcoming events or timely events in our specialty will be a welcome addition.

You will also note that the practice has returned to a single-doctor structure.  My previous partner and I finished our trial association, and have mutually decided that we will continue our collegial relationship together, just as two separate practices. I wish him all the best fortune. I know he will thrive.

Finally please explore the refreshed website. It has been beautifully, but lightly refreshed in a very fluid and dynamic way by the team of Tom Martin and Ethan May. My gratitude to both of them for their artistic touch and extremely fast and intense professional work.

In closing I am more excited than ever about the practice, which is actually to say I am excited to show up every day and serve my patients, staff, and referring doctors. I am thankful for my occupation and the opportunities I have been given, and I don’t take them lightly.

Dan