Where has Dr. Marcus Welby Gone?

An article in the Outlook section of The Washington Post recently asked the question, Is Marcus Welby History? In my case the answer is, No; He is alive and well in Leesburg, VA.

I am 72. A few weeks ago my wife was concerned that I was not recovering properly from a minor out-patient procedure performed at our local hospital. She called our family physician, Dr. John Andrew’s cell phone. When he answered sounding out of breath, she asked if he was OK. His answer was, “Yes, I am running the last leg of the Boston Marathon with my daughter.” He then discussed my condition with my wife, and made several suggestions. As it turns out, as he predicted, I was fine.

This was not the first of these “after hours” calls. Last winter Dr. Andrew returned a message my wife left at his office from a chairlift in Utah.

Over a year ago Dr. Andrew realized that he could not practice the medicine he was trained to and wanted to provide. His practice had grown to several thousand patients and, like me, most were “senior citizens” and the rest were soon to be. John and one of his partners, Dr. Jack Cook, formed a new practice giving his then current patients a choice of staying with the larger group practice, or becoming patients at a new practice restricted to 400 patients for each doctor. This new practice carries a $1,500 annual fee, which is not covered by insurance. This year my annual physical, covered by this fee, was the most thorough I have ever received. I carry the results, including all lab tests (covered by insurance), on a mini CD in my wallet.

Dr. Andrew and his partner’s practice is part of MDVIP, a national organization helping doctors practice preventive care and provide the personal attention long ago forgotten.