She Disappeared in Plain View

She is a lovely woman, a very good physician and terribly shy. She had been in practice for severalyears. Every day, when she walked across the bridge from the medical office building to the doctors’ parking lot,she smiled back and said hello to many colleagues.

Then she got pregnant. She cut her hair. She got contacts. She rushed home to lie down after a busy day.

After the baby was born, she lost her weight very quickly. Now, being a nursing mother, she was even more distracted when she walked to her car. She barely noticed or spoke to anyone. And no one spoke to her.

Her practice began to slow down. Her referrals were dropping off. She called me.

It seemed that her appearance had changed so much; new hairstyle, no glasses, different weights, that no one recognized her. And her natural shyness was exacerbated by her increasing haste to get home.

We decided to have a party to let the doctors who knew her, and those who didn’t, that she was still in practice. I understand that physicians do not usually like to attend social events, particularly where they don’t know anyone. So I included a personal note in the invitations to the doctors on staff whom I knew, but she didn’t, saying she was my client, that I would be there and to please stop by because I would love to see them.

Everyone attended the party, if only for a moment to say hello. She met many physicians. And those she knew were pleased to have some time to chat. Her practice boomed

Lesson: Social interaction with other physicians can be as important to keeping your practice vital as maintaining your medical skills.

Cautionary Word:  Be certain to tell physicians you  meet and those you know, what you do, particularly if it is something new.