Going to the doctor in 2011

[MorningGlory]

I know a bit about that! I have an appt with my dr about every 6-8 weeks and I wait at least an hour everytime just to see her then the 15=20 min. wait for her to come into the room. I am a cash pay patient she charges 75 dollars to see for usually a 10 min. talk. My doc schedules her patients for about every 15-20 depending on the person and whats wrong. If it was just me waiting it would be one thing since I don't work but I need to be driven there so my husband who takes me usually ends up having to cancel a job or so which then makes him mad enough to threaten to charge the dr for his wait time! My dr is in practice by herself but I really wish she would hire a physicans assistant to cut down on the wait time.

I always have visions of Obama care as all the patients being herded into groups for mass diagnosis!, sore throats to the left, coughs to the right, heart problems sit down there.

Let's hope you're wrong, mizzdy. I seriously don't know how it can get much worse than the cattle herding I saw yesterday. It's so bad an elderly man tried to jump in front of me to talk to the doctor as we stepped out of the exam room (during MY appointment!) It didn't work but I could see how he was frustrated enough to do it. One of the main problems is the medical consortiums that someone else mentioned; their goal is to increase the bottom line. There is no way in the world a doctor can give his/her patients any kind of care while herding them in and out faster and faster to satisfy their masters (the stockholders who own the consortiums and know NOTHING about medicine.) who desire to make larger profits. The majority of the patients of that doctor I visited yesterday were elderly (i.e., over 70) and I know they need more comprehensive care than what I saw. Try to move like a gazelle on a walker sometime. It's sad.

[LUVNCHRIST]

Obama care

I have found the smaller the town the better the care. The doctor that delivered two of my children was a Christian and a complete God send. For the longest of time he kept at bay the demands of "Big Brothers" offer of help...

But soon he had to give in for his pratice started to suffer. I praise the Lord his bedside manner never changed. But he started having to like everyone here says "herding" the ppl. Broke my heart and I imagine his too.

I now live in a new town and haven't found me a dr. yet. I figure my chances are pretty slim of finding one with good values. I pray the Lord will show me one.

[Guest LadyC]

oh my, i feel so lucky! i use one of several southwest medical clinics. i don't go often. neither does my husband. but we never have a problem. i have a friend who, if she's unable to get her children in to see their regular doctor, i take her to my clinic.

it's more than just a clinic, it's a whole suite. there's everything there... ob/gyn, pediatrician, adult medicine, opthamalogist, on-site lab, and walk-in.

usually they'll try to give appointments very quickly, within a few days. if that isn't fast enough, walk in! if they can squeeze you in, they will. if they can't, they'll send you down to the walk-in clinic. i have experienced both, and have never had to wait more than an hour... and that was for a walk-in with the pediatrician. most times they'll get us in within 15-20 minutes. even if we go down to the walk-in clinic, which really isn't a clinic at all. there's never more than three people in there. and really, it's the radiologist's waiting room that you go hang out in until the first available doctor from the main adult medicine office has a moment between patients. very fast. very efficient. and the staff is always friendly.

my husband's work changes insurance companies frequently, or at least used to. the year that we had insurance that wasn't accepted by southwest medical group was miserable. we did find a decent doctor that we liked, but he had two offices, and the one on this side of town was only open twice a week. but he did take walk-ins. always. no appointment necessary. but since he was only open twice a week on our side of town, it was a long wait in the waiting room.

[Matthitjah]

I know a bit about that! I have an appt with my dr about every 6-8 weeks and I wait at least an hour everytime just to see her then the 15=20 min. wait for her to come into the room. I am a cash pay patient she charges 75 dollars to see for usually a 10 min. talk. My doc schedules her patients for about every 15-20 depending on the person and whats wrong. If it was just me waiting it would be one thing since I don't work but I need to be driven there so my husband who takes me usually ends up having to cancel a job or so which then makes him mad enough to threaten to charge the dr for his wait time! My dr is in practice by herself but I really wish she would hire a physicans assistant to cut down on the wait time.

I always have visions of Obama care as all the patients being herded into groups for mass diagnosis!, sore throats to the left, coughs to the right, heart problems sit down there.

Let's hope you're wrong, mizzdy. I seriously don't know how it can get much worse than the cattle herding I saw yesterday. It's so bad an elderly man tried to jump in front of me to talk to the doctor as we stepped out of the exam room (during MY appointment!) It didn't work but I could see how he was frustrated enough to do it. One of the main problems is the medical consortiums that someone else mentioned; their goal is to increase the bottom line. There is no way in the world a doctor can give his/her patients any kind of care while herding them in and out faster and faster to satisfy their masters (the stockholders who own the consortiums and know NOTHING about medicine.) who desire to make larger profits. The majority of the patients of that doctor I visited yesterday were elderly (i.e., over 70) and I know they need more comprehensive care than what I saw. Try to move like a gazelle on a walker sometime. It's sad.

If they are truly largely elderly patients then the problem is the Federal Governments because most of those folks will be on Medicare and Medicaid. The fact that the Doctors aren't paid nearly anything under Medicare and Medicaid forces them to run the cattle hearding. They pool together under these corporations, which are a God send to them, because otherwise they couldn't afford the malpractice insurance premiums and overhead to run their offices. Also Medicare and Meicaid are notoriously slow in making payments to the Doctors. Sometimes these Doctors will not see their payments for many months. They also have to fill out so many forms and do it the way that the Goevrnment demands that they have on staff accountants to meet the demand of documentation and to track their payments. Meanwhile they have to pay their rent, pay their staff, their medical supplies, make a living, and cover their insurance premiums.

This will only get worse under Socialized Health Care.

[Matt712]

I've always thought that the government COULD do a better job of managing healthcare. I think the real issue behind everything they do is 'love of money'. Their efforts to save money at the expense of peoples health(especially the elderly and mentally ill) backfires when those people need emergency care for ailments that could have been prevented or treated. There was a whole thing in NY for a while about medicaid not wanting to pay for women's mammograms more than once every 3 years, unless they had already had cancer. How much does it cost to treat metastatic cancer versus screening it and treating it when it's the size of a pea? Their priorities are not on the well-being of the people they serve. That, however, is the problem with almost every government and world leader today. I guess all I can do is pray that someone who truly cares for others, rather than wealth and power, comes into a position to create positive change. On a brighter note, my health is better now than it was even a year ago. Applying Christian values to my lifestyle has made me better emotionally, physically and spiritually.

[MorningGlory]

I know a bit about that! I have an appt with my dr about every 6-8 weeks and I wait at least an hour everytime just to see her then the 15=20 min. wait for her to come into the room. I am a cash pay patient she charges 75 dollars to see for usually a 10 min. talk. My doc schedules her patients for about every 15-20 depending on the person and whats wrong. If it was just me waiting it would be one thing since I don't work but I need to be driven there so my husband who takes me usually ends up having to cancel a job or so which then makes him mad enough to threaten to charge the dr for his wait time! My dr is in practice by herself but I really wish she would hire a physicans assistant to cut down on the wait time.

I always have visions of Obama care as all the patients being herded into groups for mass diagnosis!, sore throats to the left, coughs to the right, heart problems sit down there.

Let's hope you're wrong, mizzdy. I seriously don't know how it can get much worse than the cattle herding I saw yesterday. It's so bad an elderly man tried to jump in front of me to talk to the doctor as we stepped out of the exam room (during MY appointment!) It didn't work but I could see how he was frustrated enough to do it. One of the main problems is the medical consortiums that someone else mentioned; their goal is to increase the bottom line. There is no way in the world a doctor can give his/her patients any kind of care while herding them in and out faster and faster to satisfy their masters (the stockholders who own the consortiums and know NOTHING about medicine.) who desire to make larger profits. The majority of the patients of that doctor I visited yesterday were elderly (i.e., over 70) and I know they need more comprehensive care than what I saw. Try to move like a gazelle on a walker sometime. It's sad.

If they are truly largely elderly patients then the problem is the Federal Governments because most of those folks will be on Medicare and Medicaid. The fact that the Doctors aren't paid nearly anything under Medicare and Medicaid forces them to run the cattle hearding. They pool together under these corporations, which are a God send to them, because otherwise they couldn't afford the malpractice insurance premiums and overhead to run their offices. Also Medicare and Meicaid are notoriously slow in making payments to the Doctors. Sometimes these Doctors will not see their payments for many months. They also have to fill out so many forms and do it the way that the Goevrnment demands that they have on staff accountants to meet the demand of documentation and to track their payments. Meanwhile they have to pay their rent, pay their staff, their medical supplies, make a living, and cover their insurance premiums.

This will only get worse under Socialized Health Care.

I know those conditions exist, Dave, but this office seems a little plush and upscale to be a place Medicaid patients go. The elderly also seem well dressed and several had private nurses accompanying them. I couldn't figure out why nearly everyone there was elderly and I hated the circumstances. I probably will start looking again.....I just hate doing this kind of thing. It's like looking for a hairdresser; if you find one you like....don't tell anyone because they will immediately move away.

[Fez]

I thought things were bad in south Africa, but it turns out not too bad I took south to our local GP today for a minor allergy, nothing serious but it is bothering her and she can't sleep too well at the moment.

Here is how it went.

On my way home I called in to his house (he works from home and his office and dispensary are there). I chatted to his wife Liza about this and that (small town talk, and about our recent trip to the Philippines). I arranged for us to come back at about 12.30, which we did. We waited about 10 minutes and the doc (we call him Swanee), saw South and the doc and I chatted in his office. He diagnosed her and gave her some meds which he dispensed.

We went out with him to the waiting room, spent a while chatting with him and his wife (who is his receptionist, bookkeeper, etc), and were on our way at about 1.15 or so.

The visit and medicine cost about $65, which my medical aid pays.

Swanee is your typical small town doctor. Semi retired, a wealth of experience, pipe in the ashtray on his desk ( ). I hardly ever make an appointment, just call by and the longest wait is about 40 minutes or so.

I went in about a year or so ago because I was worried about a mark on my shoulder. Being in the sun all day like I am it pays to be careful. He said, hmmm, we need to get that out and to a biopsy. I had the choice of hospital or Swanee and his pipe... I sat in a chair in his office, he gave me a jab, pulled out a scalpel, cut the thing out, stiched me up, and sent me on my way. Whole thing took about 30 minutes and cost me about $90.

So I guess we are blessed to have an old time, small town doc, who has seen and done it all....

[MorningGlory]

I thought things were bad in south Africa, but it turns out not too bad I took south to our local GP today for a minor allergy, nothing serious but it is bothering her and she can't sleep too well at the moment.

Here is how it went.

On my way home I called in to his house (he works from home and his office and dispensary are there). I chatted to his wife Liza about this and that (small town talk, and about our recent trip to the Philippines). I arranged for us to come back at about 12.30, which we did. We waited about 10 minutes and the doc (we call him Swanee), saw South and the doc and I chatted in his office. He diagnosed her and gave her some meds which he dispensed.

We went out with him to the waiting room, spent a while chatting with him and his wife (who is his receptionist, bookkeeper, etc), and were on our way at about 1.15 or so.

The visit and medicine cost about $65, which my medical aid pays.

Swanee is your typical small town doctor. Semi retired, a wealth of experience, pipe in the ashtray on his desk ( ). I hardly ever make an appointment, just call by and the longest wait is about 40 minutes or so.

I went in about a year or so ago because I was worried about a mark on my shoulder. Being in the sun all day like I am it pays to be careful. He said, hmmm, we need to get that out and to a biopsy. I had the choice of hospital or Swanee and his pipe... I sat in a chair in his office, he gave me a jab, pulled out a scalpel, cut the thing out, stiched me up, and sent me on my way. Whole thing took about 30 minutes and cost me about $90.

So I guess we are blessed to have an old time, small town doc, who has seen and done it all....

You are indeed blessed, fez. You will not find ANY doctor like that here, in the city. They're all specialists here.

[xequedox]

Just you wait until Obamacare kicks in. You ain't seen nothing yet.

lol you got that right!

[mizzdy]

I thought things were bad in south Africa, but it turns out not too bad I took south to our local GP today for a minor allergy, nothing serious but it is bothering her and she can't sleep too well at the moment.

Here is how it went.

On my way home I called in to his house (he works from home and his office and dispensary are there). I chatted to his wife Liza about this and that (small town talk, and about our recent trip to the Philippines). I arranged for us to come back at about 12.30, which we did. We waited about 10 minutes and the doc (we call him Swanee), saw South and the doc and I chatted in his office. He diagnosed her and gave her some meds which he dispensed.

We went out with him to the waiting room, spent a while chatting with him and his wife (who is his receptionist, bookkeeper, etc), and were on our way at about 1.15 or so.

The visit and medicine cost about $65, which my medical aid pays.

Swanee is your typical small town doctor. Semi retired, a wealth of experience, pipe in the ashtray on his desk ( ). I hardly ever make an appointment, just call by and the longest wait is about 40 minutes or so.

I went in about a year or so ago because I was worried about a mark on my shoulder. Being in the sun all day like I am it pays to be careful. He said, hmmm, we need to get that out and to a biopsy. I had the choice of hospital or Swanee and his pipe... I sat in a chair in his office, he gave me a jab, pulled out a scalpel, cut the thing out, stiched me up, and sent me on my way. Whole thing took about 30 minutes and cost me about $90.

So I guess we are blessed to have an old time, small town doc, who has seen and done it all....

I grew up in Anaheim CA and thats how our dr was, my sis and I were alway sick with something and all mom had to do was call any time and we got right in. I remember the doc even came to our house once on his way home. Here in Las Vegas there is an actual service of drs that come to your house haven't checked out their fees though.