| Author | Message | ||
     Bbbob |
This question comes after waiting with my wife for over 2 hours this morning for a scheduled Dr's appointment... Do you think it is fair to judge how good a Doctor is by how well managed his office is? | ||
| Buellerandy |
All depends on how much attention each patient needs for their conditions. Example: whats a good time frame for telling someone their tests came back and they have cancer? Can't exactly inform someone of all their options and possible treatments/schedules in a 30 minute window and expect them to be educated. Other conditions would probably take 15 minutes depending. Example: "yeah, that bump on your foot is what we call a wart. Let me dab some of this liquid nitrogen on there and you'll be on your way." | ||
| Fast1075 |
It's not "cut and dried"...I would be horrified if I was seeing the doctor and before they were through...doc looks at watch and says...sorry out of time... They by and large do pretty well in most cases...the exception being emergency facilities where you are seen according to a "take a number" scheme, rather than effective triage....everybody has stories of a badly injured or sick person having to wait because someone with a splinter was ahead of them... I use facilities that are sensibly operated...and I understand that someone else may have more need than myself from time to time... this past Feb. I had a rather severe issue that required emergency care...I was in grave danger and knew it...so I specified that I be taken to a particular facility to be sure I would get timely response...In my case it was in the door, straight to E.R. and a full team within a couple of minutes... But regular doctor visits, stuff like health reviews and routine tests...those shouldn't have a lot in the way of delays...barring the odd emergency. | ||
| Bads1 |
But regular doctor visits, stuff like health reviews and routine tests...those shouldn't have a lot in the way of delays...barring the odd emergency. easier said then done | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Enjoy it now gentleman. When Obama care kicks in, you will look back on this as the golden age of medical care. | ||
| Bads1 |
Insurance doesn't make it good now. The whole thing is a mess. | ||
| Azxb9r |
In Arizona we have a shortage of doctors. What you might consider a "routine visit" has to be juggled into an overbooked schedule. Sometimes emergencies come up that screw up the schedule. IMHO you can not judge a doctor by how long it takes to get in to see him/her. | ||
| Ourdee |
My answer to the first question is yes. I have in my experience always found a relation between the two, with the exception being while in the military. When O-care kicks in cash will be king. Find your good doctors now. | ||
| Fast1075 |
Maybe it's because I live in Florida...there are doctors out the wazoo. | ||
| Court |
Medical care is my one indulgence. When I moved to NYC I spent a year studying Doctors and found the best I could. Obama-care ( the CBO already told us last week that the estimated costs were woefully understated by $350,000,000 and it's going to add to the deficit) is going to be a train wreck. Look to Massachusetts for a precursor. I don't rely on my insurance. | ||
| Ourdee |
If you need a doctor on the south side of Indianapolis, I can point you to my Doc. I had there. He was very good, and I know the difference. I have a good doctor in Rockford Illinois also. Can't help in other lands. I believe recommending the good ones to out weigh any benefit of pointing out the clowns. | ||
| Thepod |
I feel I can chime in on this one. As a physician myself I have to strike a balance between seeing a lot of people who want and need to be seen, and spending as much time with each patient as possible. I would love to spend an hour with each patient, but there is no way that works on many levels. First it would be very inefficient and I would not be able to see enough people to even cover my overhead, and second one person would consume too much time that I could spend on helping other people as well. Also, keep in mind that in a given clinic day there are add ons, complex patients and patients that are late (this happens a lot actually). One late patient throws the whole day into a tailspin. A complicated patient that is not an easy diagnosis or requires additional testing or exam can also cause me to run late. I would not be doing me job if I just stopped or did an inadequate job. So consequently, sometimes we run over a bit. I pride myself on being on time for the most part, and I do believe that I am, but not always. I have had patients complain about the wait. When Obamacare kicks in, the wait to get into the clinic will be longer, but that should not affect the wait time while you are in the clinic (I hope). It will be interesting. From my perspective, since I work at an academic institution I frequently don't get paid for the surgeries I do, because the patient is uninsured, and no.. I'm not salaried. I am purely incentive based. If I don't operate, I don't get paid. Think of it like this...your car breaks down and you get it fixed and the mechanic sends you a bill and you say "sorry I don't have insurance" and the mechanic has to accept the fact that he will not get paid for fixing your car. Well that happens to me on a daily basis It may actually be of benefit that every patient will have some kind of coverage. At least I will get something as opposed to having to work for free. I do it, and willingly for the most part because I believe in some basic care for people. But I also don't mind getting reimbursed for my effort. It is tough to forecast the future. One thing you can be sure of is that it will all change. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
"Think of it like this...your car breaks down and you get it fixed and the mechanic sends you a bill and you say "sorry I don't have insurance" and the mechanic has to accept the fact that he will not get paid for fixing your car. Well that happens to me on a daily basis " Cheer up, somebody will be getting paid for it, just not you. Under the new Obama care (read the bill guys) there will be a financial signing of assets and property, your care will be linked to your possessions, your job, and your taxes. There will be a required signature of 'rights' signed at time of service. If you have assets; and you have services that were not covered by your 'insurance' company they can now be attached, liened, leavied, or garnished. Of course if you are an illegal alien, or a union member, these rules dont apply. Enjoy the CHANGE. Read the bill here http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi ?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3200ih.txt.pdf you can bet your legislator didnt dont even get me started on 'financial' reform, I havent read that behmouth yet, but I do loooooove me some new Transparency; thanks for passing this one with out and congressional debate coverage. Politics as usual. | ||
| Crusty |
Isn't it amazing how many people believe the negative propaganda the Insurance Industry Leeches spew out concerning something that will help people while not making them any money. In their eyes, if someone isn't paying them protection money, that person deserves to die. And people badmouth the Mafia for running protection rackets... | ||
| Bishopjb1124 |
At least you all have a choice of doctors. In the military we dont get a choice if the doctor sucks then it sucks to be you cause you are stuck with him/her. Oh and our emergency room is great to, when I wrecked my bike 2 years ago I set in the ER for over 7 hours, when the wife was there it was 10 hours. I could go out in town and pay for my own doctor but then I would be double paying because whethter ot not I use the military doctors I get charged for it. When the health care plan goes into effect you all will feel the same pain. Trust me it will not be well recieved. Jimmy | ||
| Dynasport |
Thepod, your financial arrangement, while it works well for some jobs such as sales, sounds terrible for the medical industry. You only get paid if you operate. That seems like a tremendous incentive to recommend surgery in cases where it is not needed. My mom is always very concerned about that and I have always assured her that medical professionals would never do that. However, I know human nature, and I know that is not actually the case. I am quite sure there are doctors who would recommend surgery when another treatment could be as effective, or even when no treatment is necessary. Kind of scary actually. | ||
| Jramsey |
The welfare deadbeats in my area go to the emergency room so they don't have to sit in the waiting room. In and out in no time. Pisses me off. | ||
| Ourdee |
Don't let the union guys look like they are getting away from the coming slavery. They are only protected till 2012. | ||
| Court |
It still amazes me that the unions supported this health care travesty . . I've had a union healthcare program (I was delivered at birth on the I.B.E.W. insurance as were both my sons) and it's always pretty much been without equal. I think the members, quite frankly, were duped. . . | ||
| Thepod |
Dynasport, to play devil's advocate, if I am on salary, then the incentive is for me not to operate. Which may mean less people get a surgery that they need. There is no perfect system... | ||
| Dynasport |
Thepod, I agree that no system is perfect, but I would think it would be better if you were paid to see patients, whether you did surgery on them or not. Then, of course, if you performed surgery, you would be paid for that as well. Seeing patients, but only getting paid if you do surgery seems strange to me. Even my A/C repairman charges a fee for coming to my house and looking at my A/C. If he repairs or replaces it, he is paid for that as well. But if he comes out and says everything is fine, he is still paid. | ||
| Pso |
Interesting thread. I had to get out of private practice, at the urging of my accountant. Thank ERISA laws of R. Nixon that allowed Managed Health Care to take over our medical care from the practicioners without any liabilty. At the hospital where I work the new Docs talk about being taught that if they spend more than 8 minutes with a pt. they are losing money in primary health care. Most of the old timers talk about wishing that they had gotten into procedural medicine because that is where the money is. So yes Dynsport it has been known to happen and is happening more often than you can imagine. Also a report in my home State showed that only 8 folks from the graduating classes from all the Med schools in the State opted for family practice or obstetrics/gyn. No money or malpractice so high that all the profit is sucked out. So there is a tremendous strain on the system to just find a good general practiciaonal like Thepod points out most of the best are very concentious so there are times that there are run overs. Also due to contracts with Mangled Health Care which is nothing more than the dispicable front for insurance co.'s you cannot bill for "no show" appointments.With the very high rate of no shows and late cancelations, some Doc's that are really hurt financially are double booking, predicated upon history of lost revinue from no shows. Also if there is no proof of suplies being expended there is also no tax write off. Court, seems like since R. Reagan the power of the union has pretty much evaporated. Not sure what the new health bill will provide, we do need a fix, and I personaly and professionaly would like to see more payment to the GP. Medicare and Medicade keep cutting reembursment to our front line Doc's sort of like not providing logistics to oour front line troops and expecting them to perform at a high level. Sorry about the rant but mangled health care ruined a 20 year career for me. | ||
| Thepod |
Dyna, I apologize if I may have confused you. That was certainly not my intent by my statement. I do get paid to see patients, but in a surgical practice, the amount of generated from a clinic visit is significantly lower than that generated from surgery. So the loose interpretation is the same. | ||
| Ourdee |
The union has been duping themselves for a while now. It is like the book "Animal Farm". I have not voted with the majority in years. |
