To the editor:
It has come to our attention that Lori Eckerstofer, PA-C, recipient of the Downeast Association of Physician Assistants Outstanding Health Care Professional of 2011, and longtime physician’s assistant at Pines Women and Children’s Health Center has a non-renewed contract simply because she is a physican’s assistant. This is saddening and disheartening to hear on so many levels. Our children have received excellent care from Lori, whom they affectionately named “Dr. Lori.”
Lori has been our children’s primary care provider for the past seven years and we can attest to the quality of care that she provides. When our daughter was born she had an abnormality to her eyelid. Our pediatrician at the time consulted with Lori to come up with a diagnosis. It was soon thereafter that we changed our children’s primary care provider to Lori. Our son was a sickly baby for about the first two years of his life. We saw Lori almost weekly, where she patiently and thoroughly advocated for him with specialists for his care.
Between multiple ear, sinus, and strep infections, Lori lovingly built a provider-patient relationship with our son. She often squeezed him in during her lunch hour or stayed late to see him when he became sick yet again. Lori knew the best course of treatment each time he was ill and worked diligently to get him well. She has gently and lovingly cared for and counseled our children, treating them so they felt valued and important. As parents, this relationship is important and a true testament to Lori’s deep devotion to patient care. Her dedication to medicine and to her patients cannot be rivaled.
Consistency in care is also critical for us as parents. Pines has historically had difficulty attracting and retaining pediatricians who want to stay in this area to practice medicine long-term. We have enjoyed, or been spoiled really, by Lori’s dedication to the children of Aroostook County. While our children have greatly benefited and enjoyed their constant and consistent care from Lori, we have watched other patients shuffle between providers. We cannot stress how a long-term relationship with a primary care provider results in better care.
For 20 years, Lori has worked tirelessly for Pines Women’s and Health Services. Why would Pines management release such a dedicated professional who is capable of providing outstanding medical care? We find it to be a gross miscalculation on their part to not renew the contract of someone who has provided exceptional long-term care to the residents of Aroostook County.
The other upsetting part of this news is that although we have had Lori as our primary care provider for seven years, we did not receive any official notification of Lori’s leaving from anyone at Pines Health Services. We only learned of this monumental loss through other parents, who did in fact receive a phone call notifying them of this change. In a recent call we made to the Pines Women and Children Health Center, her departure was confirmed, with March 31 given as Lori’s last day of employment. To us, this seems like a total lack of communication between Pines and its patients.
While some patients have received notification, one thing is for certain is that not all of Lori’s patients have been notified. Lori is so well-loved by her patients and their parents that news of her non-renewed contract will be upsetting. We hope Pines management was not trying to avoid negative publicity by not making this known to all.
We want to be sure patients and their parents are aware of Lori’s impending departure from Pines Women and Children’s Center and encourage parents who have children cared for by Lori and who are displeased to hear of her departure to contact Pines management: CEO Jim Davis and COO Lisa Caron and the Pines board members: Norm Collins, Kevin Barnes, Chris Bell, Peter Doebener, Kris Doody, Betty Hatch, Jane White-McCall, Tim Poitras, Dana Rattray, Shawn Rogers, Steve Rogeski, and Tanya Sleeper. It is important that these individuals are aware of your concerns about her departure as well as hear the stories of the outstanding care Lori has provided your children. Let’s work together and advocate for Lori to remain at Pines, just like she has advocated for her patients for more than 20 years.
We are hoping that armed with community feedback, the Pines board will encourage Pines management to reconsider their decision. Primary care providers are the first step in securing our children’s health so we can all strive for healthy living “because nothing is more important than your health.”
Travis and Kim Barnes
Caribou
