Welcoming a New Physician to an Established Practice
A few years ago, our treasured physician, Dr. Steve Glasser retired. While pleased for him, so many felt a deep and personal loss of "our beloved" Dr. Glasser. While not knowing about the transition at the time of an office visit, before he announced his retirement, I did have the opportunity to meet Dr. DeWitt as she shadowed Dr. Glasser.
What an amazing experience it has been for me since that initial meeting. Dr. DeWitt embodies everything that was so valued by me in a physician. She is certainly extremely knowlegeable, but equally important is her caring, supportive, loving and calming nature. She is an amazing listener and compassionate caregiver. I never feel rushed whether speaking with her on the phone or during my in-person appointments with her. I feel respected and safe when sharing details about my life with her. I know that if I email her, she responds in a timely manner. If I call in with a question, she returns my call as soon as possible. She respects the expertise of specialists and reaches out to them if she feels more specialized care or intervention is needed. Finding an internist who can look at the whole person and who takes the time to find the right resources to help is rare.
She continues to provide outstanding care while maintaining the true "family" atmosphere that was built by Dr. Glasser and his team. It is a tribute to her that those trusted practice personnel continued with her and that her newest team member has fit right in with the group.
At one point during the pandemic I was really sick. Tests for COVID and the Flu thankfully proved negative, however for days I ran a really high fever, felt terrible and living alone was really concerned about being so sick. I spoke with Dr. DeWitt and emailed her twice a day until the fever finally broke. She answered each phone call and email and reassured me that I was doing everything I needed to do and that this would soon resolve. Friends kept telling me to go to the emergency room, but it was a bitter cold time of the year and frankly, I did not want to be in an emergency room, surrounded by sick people, if it was not necessary. I had complete faith in Dr. DeWitt in her judgement and care and this "virus" did resolve. I never felt alone during this illness because of her constant care.
Taking over a long standing, establshed practice is a huge task. Dr. DeWitt is an outstanding physician and she brings so much more to the office. She is skilled using technology both in the office and through websites, informational posts and emails. She has offered healthful tips and activities to meet all aspects of patient care, aside from checkups, tests and medicines. Dr. DeWitt encourages her patients to partcipate in many proactive wellness activities including exercise and improved nutrition.
As mentioned earlier, I was deeply saddened when Dr. Glasser announced his retirement. Although more than deserved, I was concerned about what would happen to the practice. I should have known that he would place his patients in loving, caring hands with a physician who was professionally outstanding and personally committed to looking at the whole person's social, emotional and medical needs. Dr. DeWitt embodies the "old fashioned" physician who made those housecalls. She also embraces all that is new in our age of computers, robotics, impressive tools for scanning for diseases and modern scientific discoveries to bring her patients the most up to date care to keep us healthy and help us when we need interventions.
I am grateful to have been in the care of Dr. Glasser and thrilled to now be with Dr. Erica DeWitt who is a true family physician and caregiver.