Edith B. - “For weeks, my husband was suffering from severe pain in his stomach.  For a while, he kept dismissing it thinking it was just some sort of bug.  But it got to the point where it caused him so much pain that he was having trouble functioning during the day.  I started to get really scared that he had stomach cancer or some other life-threatening condition.  I finally put my foot down and demanded that he consult with the best gastrointestinal doctor I could find.  I quickly realized that not only was it hard to figure out who was the best but getting an appointment with anyone was practically impossible.  Out of all the doctor’s offices I called, the soonest anyone could see him was in six weeks. 

I had been a patient of Dr. Sokoloff’s for over ten years and when he joined Total Access Medical I never gave a second thought about staying under his care.  Although I had pestered my husband to join, he stubbornly resisted – until now.  We obviously needed help and my husband saw how necessary it was to enroll with the program.  When I called Dr. Sokoloff he had me bring my husband in right away.

Within 24-hours Dr. Sokoloff coordinated an appointment with the top gastrointestinal physician in the area who subsequently scheduled a series of tests.  Through his continued oversight of the situation, my husband’s results came back quickly and all of the most worrisome possibilities were ruled out.  He was ultimately diagnosed with an intensive gastrointestinal infection.  Painful-yes, but life-threatening-no.

I was completely relieved that my husband would be okay and we owe it all to the Total Access Medical program and our personal physician advocate, Dr. Sokoloff.  Without him and his staff, a top specialist would never have seen my husband nor would we have the peace of mind that goes with knowing the best physicians in the city are caring for us. We feel incredibly blessed and lucky that we have Total Access Medical and Dr. Sokoloff looking out for our medical healthcare needs.”

David L. - “It seemed the optometrist could never quite get my eyeglass prescription right.  Now we both know why:  diabetes.

Diabetes can wreck havoc with eyesight, as well as most of the body’s systems.  At 46, it wasn’t until last year when I joined Total Access and began working with Dr. Murdoch, that I found out I had the disease, as well as a potential heart attack in the making.

I’d had some questionable blood sugar tests that seemed like flukes and a marginal one that caused my previous family physician to tell me I was fine.  But I knew there was something wrong and that I needed a more comprehensive analysis. 

I saw an ad in the paper for Total Access Medical and thought the services they offer might benefit me.  When discussing the matter with my wife, I learned that one of her friends was a member.  At her encouraging, I called Dr. Murdoch’s office to learn more about his program.  Not only was I greeted on the phone by a live, friendly person, but much to my surprise, was asked to come in that same afternoon.

Once I had my diagnosis, Dr. Murdoch was insistent that I make changes and regain control of my body and my health.  Specifically, he wanted me to lose 60 pounds.  I told him that was crazy and besides, I’d played college basketball at 220.  Dr. Murdoch quickly calculated my body fat and explained to me the difference between 200 lbs. of muscle and 250 lbs. of fat!  It was obvious that excuses weren’t going to work, and I have to admit – it was motivating!

So motivating in fact, that I made the necessary dietary changes and began running every day.  About eight months later, my weight has gone from an initial high of 250 down to a comfortable 190.  I’ve not eliminated sugars completely, but I’ve drastically cut back.  I find I have more energy and my blood sugar is now completely constant.

Under Dr. Murdoch’s expert care, I have not only taken off the weight but, as a result, been able to drop one of my medications and I have seen much improvement on my coronary scans.  I hope my new habits and ongoing commitment to my health will serve as a good example for my three children.

I owe my life, and the new incredible quality of my life, to the caring expertise of Dr. Murdoch, his staff and Total Access Medical.

The newspapers and television kept saying that health care was going to worsen over the next few years.  Physician strikes would continue, access would be drastically limited and waiting rooms at the doctor’s office would always be filled to capacity.  I was scared.  I didn’t see an end to this crisis and I don’t have a lot of money for a private physician.  I felt stuck in a system that was slowly killing me. 

I saw an ad for Total AccessMedical.  Although fearful of the attached fee for the kind of services they provide, I figured it was worth my checking into.  Boy, was I surprised.  Upon arriving at their office, I was immediately escorted to a room where my affiliated physician was waiting for me.  That’s right, waiting for me. 

I now enjoy and benefit from dedicated, old-fashioned medical attention, including same day appointments, immediate exams, a direct phone number to my physician after hours and even monthly conference calls between my physician and diabetes specialist.  I am embarrassed to say that I get all of this and more for less than I spend on my hair each month.   And I don’t go to a fancy salon either."