<p>Miami-
To the contrary, most doctors DO care. I am sorry you feel otherwise. But if you
feel the need to doctor-bash , without obviously understanding what it is like to run a practice in todays healthcare climate, you go right ahead.</p>
<p>I “do not feel otherwise”, I KNOW otherwise. Apparently you did not have experience feeling helpless when your child completely depends on you. That was the reason I took her to very many docs of different specialties also in time span of few weeks. I could see very clear difference although ALL of them were dealing with the same insurance companies, no difference on this, whatever 2 insurances we had at the time. I keep reminding my daughter not to be this way, but I really do not have to, she remembers that horrible episode, and unfortunately it was not the first one.</p>
<p>Whatever. You can obviously generalize to all doctors based on your experience with a handful. An just because they happened to “deal with” your insurance company doesn’t mean squat. All of us parents have had kids who depend on us and surely we have all had to trust people who are trying to help. But the constant bashing of professionals of many fields is getting so tiresome.</p>
<p>MiamiDAP, Your experience does not show that the doctors did not care. It suggests that they did not arrive at the right diagnosis/treatment plan for your daughter. I am sure that must have been frustrating and frightening to you, but you do not KNOW anything about their feelings and whether they cared about your daughter’s health. A statement that most doctors don’t care is inflammatory, incorrect, and unfair.</p>
<p>An old time doctor friend of mine told me that back in the day a doctor would make a diagnosis first and then use lab tests to confirm it but today they do the lab tests first and then come up with a diagnosis.</p>
<p>calgal,
Most of them did not have enough time to feel anything in couple minutes that they allow themselves to spend with my daughter. Doctor who has helped also has spent time helping her. He is still the first one who I think when any of us need help. </p>
<p>On a note of time, as I mentioned before this episode was not the first one. In the first, doctor almost killed my D. by prescribing her medicine that she was allergic to and it was known fact marked in her chart. I was lucky to notice what was going on and stop her medication which could have killed her because she was already having severe reaction. I immediately found another doctor and took her there. You really have to watch yourself. Do not trust anybody.</p>
<p>Unfortunately the time alloted per patient has become dictated by the third party insurers. But thats another story.</p>
<p>On a note of time, as I mentioned before this episode was not the first one. In the first, doctor almost killed my D. by prescribing her medicine that she was allergic to and it was known fact marked in her chart. I was lucky to notice what was going on and stop her medication which could have killed her because she was already having severe reaction. I immediately found another doctor and took her there. You really have to watch yourself. Do not trust anybody.</p>
<p>I agree that we all need to be advocates for our own and our families health care.
Some Drs are not great at hiring office staff- one doc who we really like, had such crappy staff that we ( he is a family practitioner) stopped seeing him for years, until recently, because of his staff- thankfully, his current staff seem much better.</p>
<p>With young children- say with a 10 year old, I would have been in the examining room, to ask questions & when the Dr mention, they were prescribing a medication that was contra-indicated, I would have spoken right up, could have saved a lot of time in your case. </p>
<p>I mostly see a naturopath, who does her own scheduling & allows an hour! for appts, but many docs allow themselves to be overbooked & if one patient has more questions, they can get off track pretty quick- but it doesn’t mean they are poor drs- just not great managers.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Frankly, I agree with this. I also agree with Miami about being your own advocate. One mistake with regard to medical treatment can end in death or life altering disability.</p>
<p>“With young children- say with a 10 year old, I would have been in the examining room, to ask questions & when the Dr mention, they were prescribing a medication that was contra-indicated, I would have spoken right up, could have saved a lot of time in your case.”</p>
<ul>
<li>That was done to no avail, Dr. simply did not have time to search for other medication. That was the last we visited this doc. It became evident later that she was willing to risk my daughter’s life because she felt that she cannot spend 5 more minutes on her appointment. We had very long appointment with the doctor who has helped my daughter and who was getting paid by the same insurances.</li>
</ul>
<p>I am finding peoples’ reactions on this thread most fascinating.</p>
<p>Wow, one constant on CC seems to be Dr. bashing. Time spent with patients is multi-factoral. It is indirectly dictated by third party billing. For example, if you see a sore throat, you’ll get paid, let’s say $30 whether you spent 5 minutes or 2 hours with the patient. Therefore, in order to cover overhead and maybe make a profit, most medical administrators want their providers to see as many patients as possible and “load up” their schedule. There are variances in different practices depending on several factors: The tolerances of the medical administration for taking more time with the patients, what patients that day need more time and therefore less time can be spent on others, and how many work-ins and no-shows a practice has that day. In medicine, unlike other professions, there is a fixed amount of money available that doesn’t account for time, effort, or expertise. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, because of not just time constraints, but simple human error, the pharmacist is needed to double check allergies. Usually the medical provider is having to think about multiple issues as well as answer questions while writing prescriptions. How many times do you write a check out wrong while engaging in conversation? It’s probably impossible to safely write prescriptions 100% of the time while answering questions, being called by other medical providers and patients, worrying about the other patients you are seeing as well as the current one, and worried about being on time. Not to mention thinking about personal matters such as what’s going on with the kids, personal illness, and that your mother-in-law may be dying. </p>
<p>OP, I don’t know what your problem is, but for non-acute and normal lab work, most patients only want to know it was “fine.” How does the doctor know which patients feel like they need it the next day or not? It sounds like this doctor worked you in and bent over backwards to help. </p>
<p>Sorry post is long, guess I had to vent. Medical providers are caring people. But they are human and operate under very real time and monetary constraints.</p>
<p>To the OP</p>
<p>I have used the following line on Dr.'s, customer service reps, insurance companies etc. It must be delivered with a smile and sense of calmness</p>
<p>" I understand you are busy. I have a large tasty cup of coffee in front of me, I am in a comfortable chair and have internet surfing capabilities, so… please put me on hold as long as it takes to get XXXXX on the line. I appreciate your offer to call me back but as I said, I have set aside all the time it takes to resolve this issue with this call…"</p>
<p>It has worked almost every time. Regretfully, this ‘in your face’ attitude’ is becoming the required approach.</p>
<p>Good Luck</p>
<p>Ten years ago, I happily believed docs were “Gods,” or close to it. Unfortunately, since then, we’ve all had chronic health conditions and have needed to use the medical system a LOT more than we ever wanted to. Have met some amazing gems who deliver quality medical care and compassion though severely stretched by the current system and a lot who didn’t meet our needs for various reasons. You really come to appreciate the wonderful dedicated folks you find! </p>
<p>One other note–changing healthcare professions is something that should be carefully considered as appropriate. It can create significant improvements or make life just more challenging for everyone. Before blithely assuming you can switch and get an appointment, be sure to keep the lines of communication open & find out when you can be seen by whichever doc you are hoping to switch to–some docs have months of waiting lists and it may be a LOT longer than you may think if you switch.</p>
<p>People do have strong opinions about medical care, especially those of us who have seen a lot of healthcare professionals and had complicated medical issues that perplexed many.</p>
<p>GTalum,
Well written post. Thanks.</p>
<p>GTalum, you are right that you do not know my situation at all. I HAVE SOME SYMPTOMS that still need to be worked up. I do not see doctors without a reason to see them. I am NOT done yet with my medical workup. They are scheduling me for other tests to rule out such minor things as CANCER. Look, I probably do not have cancer, but I do have symptoms and I do medical attention that you know nothing about. Perhaps if you had my symptoms you would feel a bit differently. I am not a nut looking for attention from a physician.</p>
<p>dietz, I love your approach, lol!!!</p>
<p>PS- Where did I say that my symptoms were not acute symptoms?</p>
<p>jym, sorry, I completely disagree with your post #55.</p>
<p>NEM, I’m sorry if I implied or said that in your particular situation, you did not need to results of your tests or discussion of those results immediately. I meant to make a generalization for those with non-acute symptoms and normal lab work and unfortunately tied it in with your situation. Of course I don’t think because you had normal initial results, that means you’re fine and don’t deserve continued attention. I hope the rest of your work-up is speedy and gives you a reason for your symptoms.</p>
<p>Ok, GT. The doctor has scheduled further testing for Monday, so I am well on my way to getting proper medical attention.</p>
<p>So, last year my SIL had symptoms that indicated possible ovarian cancer. Had “tests” whatever that means. (We are not close/friends/barely acquaintences or I would have helped out.) It took the doctor, we are talking a large metropolitan hospital, not small town stuff SIX weeks to report results. Although in the small town she might have received better attention. </p>
<p>After three weeks I mentioned that they “might” want to call, finally they did, but nothing was done. I said that I would go to the office and sit there until I received my results. I also said that the chances are that things were fine, but she had the right to know. Finally she found out she was ok.</p>
<p>I don’t like her, seen her four times in 32 years (her comment to MIL was she only trusted white Christian doctors/hospitals), but intellectually I knew that this was torture and no one should go through this…ever. </p>
<p>If you have no received an answer about your tests call respectively/have a sit in/call primary care physician/call the treating hospital administrators. Do what you need to do…and then smile, move with your life.</p>