The Doctor She Always Dreamed Of

“Excuse me?”

“Dr. Limone. I’m a different son.”

God help me, there are two of them.

“Three actually,” he said, his voice deep and tinged with a bit of humor.

Oops. She must have said that out loud.

Thank goodness Connie chose that moment to return with the coffee.

“What can I do for you, Dr. Limone?” She took a sip, smiled at her wonderful assistant and mouthed, “Thank you.” Although the coffee wasn’t near as satisfying without the Baileys.

“I’m calling to apologize, on behalf of my family. Our father can be...difficult.”

So could his brother.

“But he’s our father,” Dr. Limone said. “He worked three jobs to keep a roof over our heads and see that all three of us went to college. While he worked, Mom managed the house, the finances and us boys. They got into a routine that’s worked for them for fifty-four years. Since Mom’s stroke, Dad’s struggling to adjust. He doesn’t do change very well.”

Not many people did. Kira understood that. But, “You know HIPPA regulations don’t allow me to discuss Mrs. Limone’s care without a signed authorization.”

“Please,” he said. “As a professional courtesy.”

In the past, on a rare occasion, Kira might have given in to a request for a professional courtesy—the unwritten understanding between doctors, nurses and the like to relax the rules of confidentiality a little bit for other health care professionals. But with all the problems she’d been having with her new boss, and with the Limones having an attorney in the family, Kira would be following company procedure to the letter. “I’m sorry, Mr. Limone. Not even as a professional courtesy. Get me a HIPPA release, signed by your father, as your mother’s health care agent, specifically giving me authorization to discuss her medical status and treatment with you, by name, and then I’ll be happy to speak with you.”

“You’re just putting me off.”

“What I’m doing is following procedure which requires a signed HIPPA release, on file, designating who my staff and I may talk to regarding any specific patient, other than the patient and/or his or her physician.” And just because she was in a bad mood she added, “As a physician you should be familiar with HIPPA regulations, Dr. Limone.”

“The plan of care is inadequate,” he yelled.

If the patient was still in the rehabilitation hospital, she’d be getting the round the clock care and supervision she required. “I can’t discuss this with you.”

“All I want is for you to explain why no home health aide services were authorized. And why hasn’t therapy started yet?”

Kira would be looking into both as soon as she could get off the phone. “I can’t discuss this with you.”

“Damn it!”

“Get me a signed HIPPA release,” Kira said.

“How the hell do you suggest I do that? My practice has exploded. Even working eighty hour weeks I can’t get everything done that I need to get done. I live three hours from my parents’ house. They don’t have a fax machine or a scanner or even e-mail.”

“You graduated from medical school,” Kira said. “Which means you must be a pretty smart guy. I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”

Dr. Limone slammed something close to his phone, the sound loud in Kira’s ear. “You have no idea how frustratingly difficult this is,” he yelled again.

“Yes,” Kira said. “I do.” From a professional standpoint and from personal experience.

He let out a weary breath. “I’m worried about my dad,” he said, sounding exhausted. “He’s not in good health. I’m worried about him or my mother falling and getting hurt because they don’t have the help they need in the home.”

“I understand your concern,” Kira said. “From everything I’ve heard and read, I think you have every reason to be concerned.”

“Yet you’re doing nothing to ensure my mother’s safety,” Dr. Limone yelled.

“This case was just brought to my attention yesterday afternoon.”

“My mother is not a case, Miss Peniglatt. She’s a sweet, kind, loving woman lying helpless in her bed with no one but my elderly father to take care of her because you won’t authorize an aide.”

Kira came dangerously close to losing it. “It is not the responsibility of Medicare or WCHC, as your mother’s Medicare HMO, to provide round the clock, in home care. Family takes care of family, Dr. Limone.” It’s why Kira needed the large salary this job paid her and why she rarely had a free moment to herself. Family takes care of family. Kira had grown up watching her mother live those words. So of course when Mom needed care, Kira had stepped up, happily. Being the sole dependable caregiver to a totally dependent family member was not easy, Kira knew that firsthand. And she had little tolerance for family members unwilling to pitch in and help. “If you and your brothers are as concerned for your mother and father as you say you are, then maybe you all should spend less time threatening and complaining and trying to find someone else to do it, and actually go home and help.”

Kira was out of line, she knew it. But she’d reached her limit.

Apparently so had Dr. Limone, because without further comment, he slammed the phone down in her ear. Maybe it was childish, but Kira slammed down her phone right back.

The door to her office opened slightly and Connie stuck her head in. “You okay?”

No. Kira was not okay. She didn’t let clients rattle her. But this guy...and his brother and father...the absolute nerve! “I’m fine.”

“Mr. Jeffries wants to see you in his office,” Connie said quietly.

Mr. Jeffries. The CEO. Uh oh. “Did he say why?” Kira’s chest tightened.

Connie shook her head, looking grim. They both knew Mr. Jeffries never asked Kira to his office for anything good.

Kira strained to inhale, expanding her lungs to full capacity to make sure they were working as she glanced at the clock. Still not even noon and she was ready to call it a day. “When?”

“As soon as you’re off the phone.”

Kira stood.

“I spoke with Myra,” Connie said. “She told me they don’t have a Daisy Limone as a patient.”

That didn’t make any sense. “One more thing I’ll have to look into.” Kira made a note on her ever-growing To Do list.

“She said another certified home health care agency has been approved in her area. Wants to know why all of our patients are suddenly going to them?”

A very good question that Kira would find the answer to as soon as she could find a free minute.

“Do me another favor?” she asked Connie.

“Name it.”

“Tonight, at the bar, please don’t let me drink too much.” The way she felt right now, it was a definite possibility.

Connie gave her a “yeah, right” look. “You know, maybe if you let loose once in a while you wouldn’t be wound so tight and grabbing for your chest every time Mr. Jeffries’s name is mentioned.”

Kira looked down at her hand resting on her sternum.