Most of us hate going to the doctor. Some avoid it at all cost, unfortunately many people are dependent on regular visits in order to manage their medical conditions. I’ve heard people tell me that they wouldn’t even go if it weren’t necessary to get their prescriptions refilled. So why is it? What’s the reason we hate the doctor? Where do I start?
First it’s expensive. You’ve got your co-pay, actual payment, and then medicine-to be brief. Second, it’s time consuming. I don’t know why they don’t just suggest that patients show up “sometime in the morning” or “after the noon hour.” The scheduling process is poor and aggravating. I certainly understand that there are several patients to be seen in a given amount of time, but that should not result in forcing the patients to wait. Third, loss of faith. I believe that too many doctors have taken on a larger work load than they can manage and it has contributed to poor medical care. I have witnessed a doctor breeze in to visit with a patient, barely make eye contact, nodding his head while passively listening to the patient’s complaint, while reading over the chart. Well, I assume it was the patient’s chart, he might have been placing his lunch order for all I know. The diagnosis was to take some NSAID and wait it out a few weeks, then return if that didn’t do it. So…tell me why anyone would want to spend time and money to do a job that the trusty internet can do? Health care in the United States is scary. I will stop there.
These days a visit to the doctor requires the patient to be smart and prepared. Yes, prepared. Next time read the 3 lists that you should take with you on your next trip to the doctor. Munch an apple in the meantime. Can’t hurt, might help. -pm
Other articles in this series:
Doctors are not expensive… Health insurance is what makes doctors so expensive.
Not all doctors are “time consuming”. Most time consuming doctors have poor office managers. The office manager is responsible for scheduling patients and time allotment.
Loss of faith? American doctors practice the best medicine in the world. We are ALL SCREWED if we get government mandated universal health coverage. Ask someone with cancer in England or Canada what it is like… 18 month waiting periods to chemo and radiation. By that time the cancer turns deadly.
What really needs to happen to fix medicine in America… Tort Reform!!! (look it up)
BTW, I’m not a doctor (I don’t even play one on TV). I’m not even in the health care industry.
I did use the term “doctor” to reference the whole experience. Yes, there is more to it, like insurance as you mentioned. Hopefully, we will find a better solution. One that includes cures and not band-aids. Thanks for your input.