Philosophy of Care

We believe that the success of Absher Neurology is a reflection of the philosophy of care at Absher Neurology.

We try to be there when you need us. This does not mean that we will necessarily be available whenever you want us.  It means that sometimes, office appointments might be delayed or rescheduled due to the immediate needs of a patient in the hospital.  It means that once in awhile you could be kept waiting so that we can address the needs of "emergency work-in" patients.  Dr. Absher is involved with many leadership activities (e.g., serving on the Clinical Advisory Council of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Board of Directors of the SC Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, and the Steering Committee for the national office of the Alzheimer's Association).  Thus, scheduling can be difficult for us, and your understanding is greatly appreciated.

We try to provide the best care possible.  Dr. Absher has fellowship training in behavioral and cognitive neurology and neuropsychiatry.  In addition, he has special expertise in stroke and brain imaging (Magnetic Resonance Imaging [MRI], Computerized Tomography [CT], Carotid Doppler Testing, and Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound [TCD]).  Dr. Absher is one of only two subspecialty-certified behavioral neurologists in the state.  When we are not able to address the needs that you have, we will be the first to suggest that you seek guidance from someone with even more expertise than we have.  We do not let "ego" interfere with your healthcare.  If you ever feel that we are missing something, feel free to request additional input.  We will help you arrange an appointment with someone who may be able to help you better than we can, and authorize a referral if one is required by your insurance company.

We communicate with you.  When you call our office to ask a question or report a problem, someone in the office will return your call promptly.  When it appears that a physician needs to speak to you directly, you will get a call from the doctor.  Often, it is possible to handle issues over the phone, rather than seeing you in the office.  When necessary, however, we will arrange an emergency work-in appointment to further evaluate a crisis situation.  By getting to know you and your "threshold" for requesting our advice, we are better able to judge when an emergency appointment is truly required.  The ability to reach us on the telephone with your concerns leads to a sense of calm and security that will help you through those stressful times when things do not seem to be going well.  One of the keys to patient satisfaction is communication.  We will do our best to be available at all times by telephone, by FAX or by email, or to arrange for a face-to-face meeting (in the office, or the emergency room) when that is necessary.   You can reach us at ANY TIME at our office number.

We think that it is vital to keep your healthcare team informed, and we try to keep up with the care you receive from other providers. Each Absher Neurology office note is mailed or faxed (usually within one week) to the physicians of your choice.  Usually, this is the doctor who sent you to us for an evaluation.  Sometimes, more than one physician may need to receive information from us, and that's fine, too.  Just as we make every effort to keep your other physicians informed, we like to be able to understand what your other physicians are doing for you.   We like to actually review the imaging studies that have been done, such as MRI scans or CT scans, and we like to have copies of pertinent medical records for your file.  Dr. Absher is a certified by the American Society of Neuroimaging and is qualified to render authoritative opinions about these imaging studies.