ENT Memphis’ Relentless Pursuit of Patients’ Health

A doctor’s journey to practicing medicine in ways that bring an overall well-being to their patients may begin in med school, but it certainly does not end there. It is a career-long pursuit of continual exploration, education, and discovery all in the interest of high-quality patient care. The doctors of ENT Memphis embody this commitment to their patients’ health through their participation in the Southern Pediatric Otolaryngology Education Group (SPOEG).

For the past 30 years, the premier ENTs of the region have come together through membership in SPOEG as a unique platform for discourse, exchange of ideas, and collaboration. SPOEG represents the longest continuous meeting of its kind. Each year over 100 pediatric and adult ENTS gather for the SPOEG annual meeting. It is at the annual meeting where opportunities for focused roundtable discussions are provided and cutting-edge discoveries of the latest technological advancements in surgery and treatments are made. Through this exceptional association of ENTs, it is ultimately the patients who benefit, receiving quality, highly specialized care.

Sick on Saturday?

Unfortunately, you can’t dictate your body to only be ill Monday-Friday. The common standard of patient care after hours is an automated phone tree instructing you to either call 911 or go the emergency room. But what if your problem isn’t life threatening? Do you really want to get lost in the ER triage pool? According to an article in USA Today by Laura Ungar, the average wait in the ER for a non-critical patient is 2 hours during the weekday and 3 hours on the weekend. Not to mention exposure to numerous germs and viruses that may make you even more sick. Then why have ER visits jumped 12% since 2011?

• Insurance coverage-sure that is one reason.
• The “right here, right now” trend of immediate gratification-also true but I can’t fix that either.

What I can control, as a practicing Ear, Nose and Throat physician, is open the doors of my solo practice on Saturday. I know the whole “work-life balance” but :

1. I became a doctor to help patients and take my oath very serious.
2. People can’t decide when to get sick.
3. More and more individuals are working 1-2 jobs and need options besides weekdays from 8-5.

Urgent care centers and after-hour clinics are popping up everywhere to combat the higher cost of unnecessary ER visits, which cost approximately 25% more than an office visit, but I want to personally take care of my patients. Am I part of a growing trend to be more patient centric? I don’t know. But if you wake up on a Saturday with inflamed sinuses or your child’s ear infection has returned for the 3^rd time, you know where to find me.

Rande H. Lazar
ENT Memphis
901.821.4300

Providing pediatric and adult care for ear, nose and throat disorders since 1970 including:

• tonsil/ear/sinus/throat infection
• sleep apnea/snoring
• hearing loss