Worth the Drive: Why One Patient Followed His Care Team from Chatham to Petersburg
For 60-year-old Gary Eby of Pawnee, good healthcare has never been about convenience. It’s about trust. And when the providers he trusted moved to a different location a little further away, Gary didn’t hesitate to follow.
Gary first became a patient of Bree Schmulbach, APRN, while she was seeing patients at Memorial Care in Chatham. It didn’t take long for him to notice something different about the way she practiced medicine. Dion “Bud” Derrickson, RN, also made a positive impression.
“From the day I walked in, it seemed like she really cared about her patients,” Gary said. “Every time I came in, she asked if I had additional concerns. When we talked, she went into detail about things. She and Bud both really saw me as a person. I never felt like a number.”
That level of care is what kept Gary coming back, even after Bree and Bud relocated to Memorial Care in Petersburg. What used to be a 20-minute drive from his home in Pawnee to Chatham turned into an hour-long trip to Petersburg. For Gary, the distance was never a factor.
“When I found out that she moved to Petersburg, I told her I wanted to follow her,” he said. “She has always gone above the call of duty to help me out.”
Gary sees Bree for his overall health and ongoing management of depression, and he credits her and Bud with a level of follow-through he hadn’t experienced at other places. When he developed serious neck pain, later diagnosed as an enlarged disc, Bree stayed on top of his care every step of the way.
“I had a problem with my neck. I was going to see all these doctors and they weren’t helping me,” Gary said. “I have no idea how many times she called to see how she could help and then made connections for me to receive care.”
Gary began treatment in January and underwent neck surgery in mid-March, a procedure that included removing three discs and placing a steel plate. Bree also helped him get in to see a cardiologist for a standard check as part of his pre-surgery care.
“She and Bud both have a great sense of humor, but they both know what they are doing and follow up,” Gary said. “She has called many times to check on my welfare. They both really helped me make the connections I needed for my health and well-being.”
Looking back on his recovery, Gary says the consistent support made all the difference.
“Words can’t describe how well they both took care of me,” he said. “They really kept my spirits up. Gas prices don’t bother me a bit. I’d go to Chicago if I had to.”
Resources
Need to find a physician or healthcare provider? Visit memorial.health.