Mary J. Gearhart (Partial Knee Replacement)

March 1, 2006

Dear Dr. Mills,

I want to say thanks to you and your staff for a job well done on my partial knee replacement.  I imagine you already know some or all of what I will say but consider this an affirmation of your practices.  From the very beginning, each of you acted as though you had been a patient and knew what was the right thing to do for me.

I know I didn't meet all of the people who are on your team, but the ones I did meet were awesome.  The scheduler was prompt and responsive.  When I called or left a message, she called right back.  But more importantly, the tone of her voice was such that I felt I had known her for a long time.  At the times we were on the phone, she gave me her full and complete attention.  In fact, all of the folks on your team had that same characteristic, which is a very unusual experience.  The x-ray technicians and the medical assistant were also quite good.  There was no particular thing they did to warrant comment, but rather it was their bearing, attitude, and treatment of me as a person instead of a "patient" that was truly remarkable.

The pre-surgery meeting with Linda Wurl allayed any fears I may have had.  She answered all of my questions truthfully, and it's clear she has a great deal of respect for you and your talents.  I believe she used the phrase "perfectionist" once or twice, though I understood it to be a compliment!  The two post-surgery visits with her were unlike any doctor's visit I've ever had.  She greeted me like a long, lost relative and told me how fabulous I looked and how terrific my recovery was.  I imagine she makes everyone feel great that way, but her positive reinforcement throughout the process gave me much more confidence.

Finally, your skill and talent, along with the many little touches through the process made everything seem as if I were in a spa for treatment, instead of surgery.  The gift of a lovely violet, the orders for fitted sheets, the extra time you spent explaining the design criteria and construction methods, and the care you took in removing my old scar were small but significant details, and paying attention to them was very important.

As I said, the little touches made a huge difference and I am very grateful to have found you and your team.  Please give my thanks and best wishes to all.

Sincerely,

Mary J. Gearhart