Keith W. Michl, MD, FACP

Recently retired from a long career in healthcare settings,
I have had the opportunity to observe staff of many disciplines and
at all levels. I have served as an inpatient unit director and
pursuant to your request to help identify individuals who deserve recognition
for excellence in patient care, I knew immediately that I wanted to describe
to you my personal experience here in Manchester, Vermont as a patient of Dr. Keith Michl.
My husband and I have been his patients for nearly 30 years.

I understand you are seeking feedback identifying individual staff who function
with the values, compassion and expertise that make medical practice a source
of comfort as well as healing. I learned through my work that no single person
can address the multitude of complexities that accompany each patient who comes
through the door. Healing takes more than the right diagnosis and effective treatment.

Under Dr. Michl’s leadership his staff is well trained professionally. As individuals. Kim Pitts, Kim Collin and Fern Allen are good-humored, empathic and patient, even in difficult situations.
They create an atmosphere of calm. Their respect for one another is apparent in a
conscious effort to say to every patient: You have come to the right place. You are safe here.
We will take care of you.

No staff member could create what Kim, Fern and Kim accomplish alone, I therefore
nominate the three of them worthy of recognition.

This happened on August 30, 2023, around 11AM.

I was sitting at my computer and happened to glance down at the rug, approximately six feet away. I was surprised to see some blood drops
on the rig and couldn't figure out how they had gotten there. I left my chair and with a damp cloth, I wiped up the spots and assumed that my
dog may have somehow bled on the spot, but after examining him, I could find nothing on him that would indicate that he had created the mess.
A few minutes later, after giving the puzzle some thought, something told me to call my doctor of about thirty years, Keith Michl. After describing
the situation to him, almost without any further conversation between us, he ordered me to contact our local emergency squad immediately
and have them take me to the hospital. There was no further conversation between us.

With no hesitation, I immediately followed his instructions and with no idea regarding the situation as to why he had given me the orders, I awaited
the ambulance which arrived within about ten minutes. I was puzzled; I felt fine! While travelling to the hospital, I had a normal conversation with the
male nurse sitting next to me in the ambulance. Avoiding any discussion of the odd circumstances of my hospital stay that day, the next day I was
transported to another hospital about two hours away. I still had no idea of why I was in or had been in either hospital. On the third day I was picked
up to be taken home by a very close friend. I recall about half of that trip, but the rest of the ride and for about three weeks later, I can recall almost
nothing. As it turned out, I was I was soon taken to two other hospitals of which I have no recollection at all.

It took me about two or three months even to begin to recover from a fall to the floor of my office in my own home and I still don't fully understand
what actually happened, but Keith apparently had it figured out based out on the few most slight descriptions I gave him on the phone. In short, he
probably saved my life, something for which obviously I shall be grateful to him for whatever time I have left. By the way, I'm almost 92 years old.

I am 81. I feel great and am doing better than i've been since the last century. I'm 65 pounds lighter. I exercise. I am living a full life. Thanks Dr. Keith MIchl (Keith) for being central to all of this and more.

I had a MRI and before I could even get home Dr. Michl was calling with the results and an action plan. He had already contacted my heart doctor and together they had a great response.