Dr. Lipa Mustafa, MD

I don’t know why I call my physician: Primary Care. My spouse is having a hip replaced in two days. I get a tic bite; I can’t afford to get sick; I will be the only caregiver for recovery at home. I decide to follow the CDC recommended prophylactic treatment: one dose of an antibiotic, for high incident areas, within 72 hours. We both have a Primary Care physician at Croton, or so we have said. I explain the situation to the office staff. The message back from a physician is to come back if and when I have symptoms; there is nothing else they can do. The practice manager repeats the message: Make an appointment when you have symptoms, otherwise go to an urgent care facility. Waiting for symptoms is too late; I need this dose asap - you are my primary care, or so I thought. Again I explain: the antibiotic is to prevent a symptomatic disease, necessary within 72 hours of a bite, necessary to assure I can help my returning post-surgery spouse. “Sorry, there is nothing I can do.”