Lost Dream

My name is Stephen Stowers I am a cardiologist who has practiced in NE Florida for the past 29 years. I was very happy in private practice and was living the american dream of owning my own business. I was able to build close and lasting relationships with my patients. As I watched reimbursement for my services decline, my referring doctors practices bought out by competing hospital networks and my overhead escalate I decided to sell  my cardiology practice to the hospital. As a hospital employee my dream turned into a nightmare. Once they owned my practice the hospital administrators no longer cared what I thought. They closed my office and dispersed my employees. They even changed the name of the hospital and I became a outsider in my own institution. I lasted for 19 mo's and my last day of employment was Nov. 15th. It is sad that the american dream of owning your own practice is fading in the United States. So it's off to New Zealand. I have accepted a position as a senior consultant in cardiology at Palmerston North hospital in Palmerston North, New Zealand. My new adventure starts April 2, 2013. I plan to spend the next month doing a walk about on the north island with my wife Bonny, and for a week with my 20 year old son Jeffery, who is on a spring break from his studies in London.