Neurologist and Personal Care agency (Memphis: insurance, day care, gated)

[psi2007]

1) We need a good neurologist in Memphis who specializes in Cerebral Palsy. The patient just turned 18 years old.
2) Also looking for a personal care agency or agency that offers day care or respite. The ones we have contacted have not been good. I have investigated several. If anyone can give information on these it would also help: St Johns, Brenda Richardson, Spectrum. Thanks.

[Pearlbob]

HI there, you've posted this same question before and I think people did their best to answer. I'm not sure if posting again will help. My suggestion was to ask your current doctor to give recommendations, or contact LeBonheur and see what adult specialist they would recommend.

I personally do not know about respite care, although again, that should be something your current MD office should help you with. Most MD offices should have a referrals person, who takes care of helping people with adjustments such as this.

[psi2007]

LeBonheur is pediatric and she is now out of that age. I asked for referrals from her pediatrian and they were only able to refer to pediatric specialists under their insurance plan. What I'm looking for are people who have personal experience. I have a list from my insurance plan but they are just names. I don't know one from the other or how good they are.

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by psi2007

LeBonheur is pediatric and she is now out of that age. I asked for referrals from her pediatrian and they were only able to refer to pediatric specialists under their insurance plan. What I'm looking for are people who have personal experience. I have a list from my insurance plan but they are just names. I don't know one from the other or how good they are.

Have you tried the UCP of the Midsouth link I gave you? If they can't give you a reference, then they should be able to put you in touch with someone who can give you one.

Also, when you call your ped office, don't ask for a "referral" as that's going to trigger a managed care/insurance referral type answer. Ask if you can leave a message for the physician and then ask for his recommendation (not referral).

Edited to add that it should be his/her recommendation. Our pediatrician is a male and I think I assume everyone goes to him!

[Pearlbob]

That's what I mean to say too...not an actual referral, but there should be people in the ped office (if not your doctor) who literally knows friends and peers who work in the field and he/she can recommend to you. They might not be able to make a written referral, but someone should be able to sit down with you and go over some names for you to call on your own.

Besides, this is a very common occurence...a child has a health problem and is seen by a ped specialist..the child turns 18 and thus needs to move on to an adult specialist. Your doctor should see this situation all the time and be able to help you out. I work with peds too and we refer our patients to adult specialists all the time by giving out names or helping them with phone calls.

[psi2007]

Originally Posted by tigergal

Have you tried the UCP of the Midsouth link I gave you? If they can't give you a reference, then they should be able to put you in touch with someone who can give you one.

Also, when you call your ped office, don't ask for a "referral" as that's going to trigger a managed care/insurance referral type answer. Ask if you can leave a message for the physician and then ask for his recommendation (not referral).

Edited to add that it should be his/her recommendation. Our pediatrician is a male and I think I assume everyone goes to him!

Thanks. I'll try that too.

[psi2007]

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

That's what I mean to say too...not an actual referral, but there should be people in the ped office (if not your doctor) who literally knows friends and peers who work in the field and he/she can recommend to you. They might not be able to make a written referral, but someone should be able to sit down with you and go over some names for you to call on your own.

Besides, this is a very common occurence...a child has a health problem and is seen by a ped specialist..the child turns 18 and thus needs to move on to an adult specialist. Your doctor should see this situation all the time and be able to help you out. I work with peds too and we refer our patients to adult specialists all the time by giving out names or helping them with phone calls.

Thanks. Thats what I need to know.