If you have a problem that seems to resist treatment; if you have complaints that have never really been given a firm diagnosis; if you feel that your problem isn't taken seriously or is denied by your existing treatment system, then it is time to see Dr. Goldstein.
As a patient, you join Dr. Goldstein in what she calls a "therapeutic alliance." That means you are an active participant in your own treatment. You are not simply given a prescription or told to visit a therapist. You are presented with a range of possible solutions, and you are presented the risks and advantages of each, and YOU make the decision - not the doctor. You decide how aggressive you are going to tackle your problem. You decide how long it will take, or how quickly you will go. You will learn about your condition and be fully informed of any information Dr. Goldstein thinks is relevant. Her constant research in medical journals and libraries and over the internet is continually turning up new developments. Things happen quickly in today's world.
Because of her style, Dr. Goldstein doesn't get the common problems. Most people who need simple treatment can get that through their existing healthcare networks and are managed suitably. However, when those systems fail, it is time to call on the specialist.
A common question is, "What insurance plans do you accept." And the answer is "None."
After many years in practice, and involvement with most of the major private healthcare plans and the government programs, Dr. Goldstein has discovered that it is impossible to give the level of care that she insists on delivering under the restrictions of a third-party-payer.
Medicare, Medical, Tri-Care, HMOs, PPOs - they all have medicine formularies that dictate how a doctor will treat any given complaint; what drugs a doctor can use; and even if treatment is medically necessary.
These decisions should be made by the patient with the expert advice of a competent and ethical doctor. The insurance plans are a wonderful system to treat the masses of the people with common problems. The individuals with complicated problems need someone special - like Dr. Goldstein.
Medical science has advanced at a dizzying rate. Today we can treat and sometimes cure the most serious diseases, and we can intervene with surgery or drugs in cases that would have been written off as hopeless only a few years ago. Yet with all the High-Tech, many patients feel the medical field has lost the personal touch that all humans need.
Dr. Goldstein practices High-Tech, High-Touch medicine. She tells a patient everything she is doing, and everything to expect. She will explain, she will guide you to internet or library resources. She will make you comfortable with the decisions you have to make.
These are things a doctor can't do in a managed care environment. That is why Dr. Goldstein is not a part of that system.
And yet, her rates remain reasonable. That is because participating in the bureaucracy actually raises costs for a doctor or a hospital. Massive paperwork requires a larger staff, more computers and more storage cabinets. Awaiting payment for 60 or 90 days causes cash flow problems.
The non-insurance doctor has none of these problems. She can operate with a small staff, minimal investment in equipment and facilities. And give better health care along the way.
So if you are in a network and have a low co-pay, you may find a time when you have to step outside the system and pay for a full-service professional. Dr. Goldstein respects the fact that healthcare should be affordable, and will do everything in her power to solve your problems and work with your existing doctors and health care providers to get your prescriptions and your treatment through your system.
