Responding to questions about another provider.

[Mindfulpsych22]

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Hi everyone! Sorry for the long post, but I could use some advice on how to handle the following situation.

While I was a student at one of my practicum sites, one of the staff clinicians (I will refer to them as Dr. N) "left" (but it was pretty much known to everyone there that this person was fired). Although I don't know all of the details of Dr. N "leaving," I do know that while I was working there, numerous patients complained about this person and that one of their supervises had concerns about Dr. N's ethics in several situations and she sought out another supervisor for consultation. Word on the street was that Dr. N was unable to find another job due to their reputation and ended up opening their own private practice.

Now, several years later, I am working as a post-doc in the same area where I went to grad school (in an inpatient/IOP setting) and I often have patients ask me about Dr. N when they are searching for an outpatient therapist. The few times this has happened, I have made a vague statement that I don't know much about Dr. N's current practice and coach them to ask the questions that I would recommend anyone ask of a therapist they are considering working with, as well as provided them with a list of referrals for therapists that I am familiar with. This has felt odd knowing what I know.

Recently, Dr. N must have discovered that I work at this program and I heard from a few patients that Dr. N brought up my name in a "oh yes, I know Dr. So and so, we collaborate often" kind of way when they contacted Dr. N to find out more about their services. I've gotten the impression from a few of them that they have taken this as a sign that I recommend Dr. N. I am also now getting more direct questions about my experiences working with Dr. N.

I'm not sure at this point what to do, if anything further. My supervisor has given the advice to basically dodge answering and re-direct the patient to our regular referral list, but I haven't gotten a chance to bring up the recent pattern of Dr. N brining up my name. Thoughts? Advice?

 

[smalltownpsych]

Hi everyone! Sorry for the long post, but I could use some advice on how to handle the following situation.

While I was a student at one of my practicum sites, one of the staff clinicians (I will refer to them as Dr. N) "left" (but it was pretty much known to everyone there that this person was fired). Although I don't know all of the details of Dr. N "leaving," I do know that while I was working there, numerous patients complained about this person and that one of their supervises had concerns about Dr. N's ethics in several situations and she sought out another supervisor for consultation. Word on the street was that Dr. N was unable to find another job due to their reputation and ended up opening their own private practice.

Now, several years later, I am working as a post-doc in the same area where I went to grad school (in an inpatient/IOP setting) and I often have patients ask me about Dr. N when they are searching for an outpatient therapist. The few times this has happened, I have made a vague statement that I don't know much about Dr. N's current practice and coach them to ask the questions that I would recommend anyone ask of a therapist they are considering working with, as well as provided them with a list of referrals for therapists that I am familiar with. This has felt odd knowing what I know.

Recently, Dr. N must have discovered that I work at this program and I heard from a few patients that Dr. N brought up my name in a "oh yes, I know Dr. So and so, we collaborate often" kind of way when they contacted Dr. N to find out more about their services. I've gotten the impression from a few of them that they have taken this as a sign that I recommend Dr. N. I am also now getting more direct questions about my experiences working with Dr. N.

I'm not sure at this point what to do, if anything further. My supervisor has given the advice to basically dodge answering and re-direct the patient to our regular referral list, but I haven't gotten a chance to bring up the recent pattern of Dr. N brining up my name. Thoughts? Advice?

It doesn't sound like you have any first-hand information about Dr. N's skills or lack thereof. There are always going to be patients complaining to one provider about another provider. The nature of the complaints might be important and help guide your communications. In other words, if patients complained that he was cold and distant or too emotional or too by the book or too ______, that could be helpful to provide that information to the patient in a neutral manner to let them decide. "Some patient's might work well with Dr. N because he does this, but other patients might not like Dr. N because of that." Most of my patients will give reviews of other providers in just about that way. "I am sure that so-and-so might be helpful to some people, but I hated the way they always did X."

 

[deleted343839]

I'm not sure at this point what to do, if anything further. My supervisor has given the advice to basically dodge answering and re-direct the patient to our regular referral list, but I haven't gotten a chance to bring up the recent pattern of Dr. N brining up my name. Thoughts? Advice?

I understand where your supervisor is coming from, though on the other hand I think our tendency to be indirect is part of why we tend to be, in Nadine Kaslow's words, "terrible gatekeepers" for the profession.

I have a suggestion that might be a little anxiety provoking, but here goes... call up Dr. N. You might say something like, "I work for program X now and I'm trying to build my network for outpatient referrals in the community. Your name has come up several times in conversations with patients. I know we didn't work together when I was at [former practicum site] but I thought we should connect so I can learn a little more about your practice..." Then you can talk and you can decide for yourself to what extent you'd want to steer patients clear of Dr. N's practice.

Let's say Dr. N is forthcoming about reasons for leaving the previous position and explains how private practice plays more to his/her strengths. Or let's say that Dr. N says nothing about the past or seems defensive about it, or says something about his/her therapeutic approach that makes you uneasy. Either way, you have more actionable information. As a professional on the verge of independence, it's a good idea to get comfortable reaching out and networking with people to whom might refer patients in the future.

If nothing else, Dr. N will at least become aware of the fact that you are paying attention and might be more hesitant in the future to portray your relationship as closer than it really is.