For many longtime patients, The Baton Rouge Clinic has become more than a place to receive high-quality medical care. It’s also where they feel safe, secure and treated like family.
“Everyone I have ever seen there is so kind. They listen to you and take time with you. I’ve never felt like I’m being rushed,” said Joan Basso.
Basso said she was particularly impressed with the way The Baton Rouge Clinic cared for her mother as she aged and dealt with multiple conditions. As Dr. Rebecca Treuil treated Basso’s mother, she recommended specialists and others to help treat her Alzheimer’s, bedsores and other issues.
“I’ve always felt like I could talk to Dr. Treuil and be honest about how I was feeling,” Basso said. “She has always been reassuring and helped us find the right solution. If there is somebody who can help you with a specific problem, the people at the Clinic always make sure they get you in contact with them.”
These days, Basso has an even stronger appreciation for the Clinic staff and the way they have cared for her following a July heart attack.
“I’ve had so many people from the Clinic helping me and checking on me,” Basso said. “They make sure I’m taking all of my medications. They’ve made sure I was able to do cardiac rehab at Baton Rouge General. They really have helped me get back on track.”
Gloria Wilbert, another of Dr. Treuil’s patients, said the physician has become like an extended family member over the years. She especially appreciates how Dr. Treuil is always available, takes time to listen and never rushes her appointments, Wilbert said. That same care and attention to detail extends to other Clinic staff as well.
“The reason we love the Clinic is because everybody is nice and friendly and helpful,” Wilbert said. “When you call, somebody always answers and gives you the attention you need.”
Wilbert said she is especially impressed with how the Clinic has maintained that personal touch even as it has grown over its 75-year history.
“They have come a long way from that little building on North Boulevard that I remember,” Wilbert said. “Now they are in this huge, lovely building. But they have never lost their family touch. When you are sick, you want to go to your family, and that’s how I feel about going to The Baton Rouge Clinic.
For Millie Williams, the Clinic has been a part of her family’s health care for decades. She remembers visiting the former location on Florida Boulevard for various ailments, including broken bones. Her mother was a longtime Clinic patient as well. Today, Williams and her husband are patients of Dr. Kevin Babin.
“I love the way Dr. Babin handles his patients. He takes the time to talk to you and explain what’s going on,” Williams said. “He tells you like it is. My husband always says, ‘Doc, tell us the truth, good or bad. We would rather know than not know.’ Dr. Babin respects that and is always honest.”
Williams said she also appreciates the fact that Clinic provides a multitude of services and specialties under one roof. That has helped her receive prompt care for vascular and sinus problems as well as routine tests.
“It’s so convenient to not have to travel all over town,” she said. “It also helps that we are able to get in touch with people quickly and make appointments in a timely fashion. Everyone is friendly and accommodating. All of our experiences have been positive. I think they were a family-style clinic before a lot of others were built, so they have a long tradition of serving everyone.”
When Eugenia Baranco’s former Clinic physician retired, he recommended she switch to his colleague, Dr. Vincent Tumminello. That was more than 20 years ago, and Baranco said she has had no regrets.
“I wouldn’t change Dr. Tumminello for the world,” she said. “He is everything a doctor should be. He is courteous, interested in his patients and makes you feel good.”
Baranco said that demeanor extends to Tumminello’s staff, who have always welcomed her with open arms.
“Everyone has been excellent to me,” she said. “Even when there have been some changes in the staff from time to time, the service did not change because of the expectations he has for everyone. I can honestly say I’ve never had a problem with anybody there.”
To read more Baton Rouge Clinic Anniversary Stories by The Advocate, please click here.