Doctor literally goes the extra mile
Procedure was nearly canceled due to a lack of transportation, until a doctor stepped up to provide the needed ride home.
A ride home may be just what the doctor ordered, or--in this case--provided.
A patient came in for a pre-op appointment for a renal biopsy procedure, and shared, “I have no one to drive me home afterward.” Without a ride home, it looked like the procedure would have to be canceled.
Delaying the biopsy would have meant it would take longer to know what was causing the patient’s health complaint. That, in turn, would further delay the patient from getting back to better health. Luis A.N. Bent-Shaw, MD, an internal medicine and nephrology physician with Mt. Baker Nephrology Associates, did not want this to happen for the patient and offered to provide their transportation himself.
“Who are you?” Cynthia Thompson, inpatient RN, on the Short Stay Unit at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center wondered about Dr. Bent-Shaw. “I was stunned that a compassionate and caring individual with a high level of expertise, education and a professional would extend such an offer to a patient in need.”
Cynthia notes post-procedure protocol meant this patient needed to remain in the hospital for more than six hours. “It was late, around 10 p.m. when the patient was stable enough to proceed home.” Dr. Bent-Shaw showed up as promised to take the patient home to their neighboring town, 15 miles away.
“Dr. Bent-Shaw really does go above and beyond for his patients,” shares Lisa Pecic, nurse manager on the Procedural Care Unit at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center.
Taking the time to meet a patient’s needs, as Dr. Bent-Shaw did, is an extraordinary moment of grace extended to a patient who needed someone to go the extra mile--figuratively and literally.
