The End… and Also The Beginning
March 4,
Dear FPP Family,
This will be my final letter, but don’t be mistaken! This is NOT goodbye! In fact, instead of an ending, I’m choosing to see this as a beginning. For those of you that have visited the clinic in the past week or so, you know it’s been quite emotional. In fact, some of you have even shared some tears with me. But those tears are only a reflection of my intense love of this place I have built and even more so of the love I have for my patients and their families.
It’s not lost on me the timing of all this. The beginning of spring is a time that always represents birth and new life. The merger of JKP and FPP is like the birth of a new practice that I know will be a new family that feels just as warm, happy and loving as the one we have created the past 3 years.
Over the past few months I have had many meetings with the JKP team and we are certainly on the same page about so many things: the desire to make our practice a beacon in Tulsa, an agreement to maintain what you have come to know as an open, accepting and non-judgmental environment, and providers that keep themselves on the forefront of medical innovation.
And rest assured – I am not going anywhere!! I will, in fact, be in clinic MORE than I have been! I’ll be available to see patients 4 and ½ days per week.
What are some new and amazing things you can expect??
- Greatly expanded hours! JKP@FP will be open 7 days per week! 8am-9pm Mon-Fri and 8am – 5pm Sat and Sun
- Someone will answer the phone EVERY time you call! – we have now visited the “command center” in Oklahoma City and have met the large pool of incredible and incredibly FRIENDLY triage nurses you’ll have the opportunity to talk to anytime you need anything!
- Walk-ins (yes, WALK-INS) are available for sick visits – do we always encourage this? Not necessarily – and this doesn’t apply to well visits, but we will take walk ins! How does it work? Well… it just does! Keep in mind – if you walk in, you won’t necessarily see me as I keep a very busy schedule.
- We’ll do a lot more procedures like ear piercing (it’s coming back!), more orthopedic splinting, spirometry, etc – as a larger organization, there is a larger budget for supplies – YAY!
- So much more – but you’ll just have to wait and see!
Now – here’s the BIGGEST concern/question I’ve been hearing: WILL THERE BE A PATIENT PORTAL???
After spending the day in OKC – I’m much more familiar with the available format. It’s called Updox and it’s very user friendly. It’s essentially an email format but it’s encrypted and HIPAA compliant. You can still send pics, etc. Whitney and I are working on getting a form for you to fill out that will be a records release and also allow you to sign up for updox so we can start using it! So, yes, you’ll continue to have direct access to me! Don’t worry!
I know that’s a lot of information. But the very most important thing I want you to hear is this. If you have stuck with me this long, despite all the changes, the immunization shortages, the phone issues, the times off, the staffing shortages, please know from the bottom of my heart it has NOT for one second gone unnoticed. You are truly truly a part of my heart and I will never forget it. I hope that you will stick with me through this one last BIG transition. I know it will be worth it. You’ll get a better me out of it as so much stress will be lifted.
I truly love each and every one of you.
In love and health and signing off for the last time as the owner of Florence Park Pediatrics,
Dr. Dunlap