So after a 5 day stay in the hospital for abdominal pain (long story, but I will be ok) I get a call from my primary care Dr. leaving me a message about an appointment they made for me....ok call them back the next morning thinking it is a follow up to the hospital stay but instead it turns out they want to send me to a specialist because of the tests results from a urine test I had done the week before during my routine physical. Didnt even tell me about it! Nice huh? Even the nurse on the phone sounded shocked when she asked me "didnt the doctor talk to you about this?" and I was like "NOPE!"
So i get thinking about it and say to myself "hey with everything my body went through that week I wonder if that could have caused the issue". So I google it all up and sure enough it could be a cause.....so I call PCP back and say "hey considering everything, do you think it would be prudent to have a retest before sending me off to a specialist?"
Them: nope,,,Dr. is pretty sure that is not why but if you want a retest come back and we will retest, it's up to you...but keep the appointment with specialist.
Me: sure, be there first thing in the A,M,
Them(-later that day on my machine): uh Jenn? this is doc's office and the new test result is in. Perfectly normal and your in the clear. We will cancel your appointment with specialist for tomorrow.
Seriously? I wonder how many people they get one test back for and send off to their specialist friends, freaking people out along the way without CONFIRMING results first. Last thing I needed after the week I had! And yes I am going back in a month for another test to confirm just in case
Just does not seem like primary care physicians want to actually take care of you anymore (or maybe I need to fire mine). Instead they catch one little hint of something or hear a little complaint and instantly send you to the next doctor instead of actually trying to help you. Just seems like they do not practice general medicine anymore. If you have a little pain here or there they have to instantly send you to a specialist.
Just does not seem like primary care physicians want to actually take care of you anymore (or maybe I need to fire mine). Instead they catch one little hint of something or hear a little complaint and instantly send you to the next doctor instead of actually trying to help you. Just seems like they do not practice general medicine anymore. If you have a little pain here or there they have to instantly send you to a specialist.
Just saying, is all! GRrrrrrrrrrrrr.......
My fiance is a PCP and I do a lot of work with a company that does a significant amount of industry research/reporting about medical care, doctor efficiency and a number of other metrics within the industry.
For starters... Blame those scum bag lawyers and the dirt bags that sue for whatever reason possible.
PCP's have the complication of coordinating pretty much *all* of their patient's care. Specialists will do a very focused assessment, provide treatment with necessary and then say "follow up with your primary". Then it's the PCP's burden to make sure that specialist's intervention doesn't interact with anything else going on (and is it almost always does).
When certain tests come back abnormal, the PCP has almost no choice legally but to send you to a specialist due to liability exposure. The few have ruined it for the many and, as such, PCP's have to operate on a 'cover-my-a#$' basis sometimes.
PCP's can't win. The government has been squeezing them more and more with lower reimbursements, stricter reporting requirements (that do not increase the quality of patient care) and higher malpractice insurance rates. On the other side, they have patients calling all day long about their stubbed toe and whining after a 30 minute phone call that they aren't getting enough attention. All of which has compounded into even great difficulties for the PCP thanks to Obamacare.
There's a saying in the medical field: "There are two kinds of doctors - those that have been sued and those that haven't been sued *yet*.
PCPs don't have the luxury of being like a "family doctor" due to time constraints and lawsuit potentials. The best you can do is try to develop a solid relationship (professional) with your doctor so he/she knows what to expect from you and you know what to expect from them.
It is difficult, but you can do a lot to create a better doctor/patient environment for future events, critical or routine.
Glad to hear that you are doing OK.
I had my hospital bout last Nov with cellulitis and a blood infection (second caused by the first) My care and follow up were equally great. My PCP answered all my questions which was easy since she gave me more information than I could have thought I needed.
Remember that as a patient it is your sworn duty to ask questions and question results. How else will you know what may be wrong and what needs to be done?
I don't have a PCP. I have a Cardiologist, an Oncologist, a Urologist and a gal down the street at the urgent care who's a Nurse Practitioner. More than what I need.
I don't have a PCP. I have a Cardiologist, an Oncologist, a Urologist and a gal down the street at the urgent care who's a Nurse Practitioner. More than what I need.
A lot of insurers require you to have a PCP.....
"If you're arguing with an idiot, make sure he isn't doing the same thing."
Correct. The latest thing is something called like "patient centered medical home" where the PCP has an ongoing relationship w/the patient and there is a team that has collective responsiblity for the care of that patient. The Dr. is sometimes paid in advance and there are bonus' for keeping the patient healthy. It promises to pay the Drs. more than what they currently get paid which is based on episodic care. Drs and patients seems happier but I heard if this is viable financially.
Seriously if you are getting by insurance-wise without it dont bother.
It is discouraging to basically have the first couple responses here say that yeah PCPs really cant treat you for anything. Thats so rediculous. My PCP does NOTHIN for me other than give me referrals and I dont want to hear the B.S line that they oversee the patients care because if this were the case I would not be running around like a jackass right now trying to coordinate everything. Saw a new Doc at Baystate this morning. What a difference in the whole experience between the 2. PCP is raking in the $$$ for doing absolutely nothing and I am sick of being rushed out the effing door when my time is up. Hospital discharge papers said to follow up with PCP and I refuse to call and make an appointment because I know he will only tell me to follow up with someone else. Besides if they were so concerned with my well being (NOT) I would have recieved a call asking how I am or why I have not made the appointment. You can bet you sweet arse I get the phone calls every year to make sure I come in for my flu shot, pnuenonia shot (seriously? did they even check my chart on that one?), etc.
It is discouraging to basically have the first couple responses here say that yeah PCPs really cant treat you for anything. Thats so rediculous.
Except that's not at all what I said. Maybe it's not "PCPs". Maybe you just have a crappy doctor.
If I had a bad experience with a professional photographer that couldn't properly frame up a shot, is it then safe to assume *all* photographers don't give a damn and are bad at what they do?
You are right. I am sure they arent all bad and I probably do have a crappy one. I know I am not the only one who has felt this way though and it can be very frustrating. Sorry I never meant to offend you or the profession. For that I offer my apologies.
With that being said this IS the grumpy old farts forum and thats all I really needed or wanted to do was to grump a bit and get it off my chest. Forgive me as its been a long couple of weeks and its all making me just a little crankier than usual.
No need at all for apologizes. It's definitely disappointing that you've been getting pushed around. I'd definitely look for a new PCP and check out some of the online doctor review websites before settling on one.
Seriously if you are getting by insurance-wise without it dont bother.
It is discouraging to basically have the first couple responses here say that yeah PCPs really cant treat you for anything. Thats so rediculous. My PCP does NOTHIN for me other than give me referrals and I dont want to hear the B.S line that they oversee the patients care because if this were the case I would not be running around like a jackass right now trying to coordinate everything. Saw a new Doc at Baystate this morning. What a difference in the whole experience between the 2. PCP is raking in the $$$ for doing absolutely nothing and I am sick of being rushed out the effing door when my time is up. Hospital discharge papers said to follow up with PCP and I refuse to call and make an appointment because I know he will only tell me to follow up with someone else. Besides if they were so concerned with my well being (NOT) I would have recieved a call asking how I am or why I have not made the appointment. You can bet you sweet arse I get the phone calls every year to make sure I come in for my flu shot, pnuenonia shot (seriously? did they even check my chart on that one?), etc.
my ins. requires pcp referral for specialists, i have a good pcp who knows what i expect from dr's and always steers me in the right direction. for my upcoming back surgery he hooked me up with the chief of neurosurgery at muriam, i met with him and was impressed all around.
Jenn I just dumped a PCP I had for almost thirty years, because I had to argue (literally) with him about seeing someone else for a specific problem. No, no, I can handle anything you need right here. Then he would brag ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SEND HIS WIFE AND SECRETARY TO EUROPE FOR TWO WEEKS, BECAUSE HIS PROFITS WERE UP. The only reason I didn't leave him sooner is because he did take great care of my wife when she had Breast Cancer. But then I would get a lecture on how much he spent on her when talking to me about my needs and concerns. Your lucky. It might be a pain to have to see the specialist, but what your PCP might be saying is that, "hey, that test result is out of my area of expertise, I think you need to see this guy". After all my BS last year this time I was sick of seeing all these other people, but I am absolutely positive I am 100% healthy right now. Knock on wood. And I hope you are as well, and the rest of you too.
Swimmer a.k.a. YO YO MA
Serial Mailbox Killer/Seal Fisherman
Thats Swimmer. I guess it can go both ways. I dont have a problem with going to specialist when I really need to. The problem is it feels like he sends me out for everything like a scratchy thoat when he could have actually taken a quick peak and said "it looks like you may have alergies, have you tried Claritin? or would you like a refferal to see an allergy dr.?" As far as this specific test I mentioned in my first post I was irritated that with all the circumstances of the week (had proceedure 3 days prior) that being a good doc would have taken this into consideration and retested immediately before sending to a specialist, thats all. I had to initiate this myself and they sounded appauled on the phone that I would question his decision.
Since I started this thread I have had a whole different set of issues discovered with my girly doc. I have been thinking about finding a new PCP (firing him) but now with all the new issues and running around from appointment to appointment every week the last thing I want is to have to start over with a new PCP right now.
Just very frustrated lately. Thanks to everyone for listening to me vent and offering some good advice.
Linear Mode
