Dr. Frustration

[MaxMan]

Wife went to a Gastroenterologist. The doc was great but later she was turned over to a PA. The woman was about as non-caring and a person could be. Told her the results looked like a certain condition, wife asked to explain the condition and the answer said Google it.

Went to a second gastro doc. Loved the doc. But when the time came the PA said you got this... here's a specialist. She gave her a Doctor that was not with their group anymore an gave her a wrong phone number to boot. Arrrrrgh.

 

[OMCHamlin]

Free healthcare for the poor folk of the entire world is great, huh? Your poor experience is a direct effect of same.

 

[rugerguy]

seems typical these days and some years ago, when we were both working we had ther neighbors as "Docs" never got to see them in the office, always the PA???? duh....they got divorced, we got another Dr , and now she went on permanent disability retirement. the "other" Dr in the office, saw us for our "well visit " back in May , told us to "have to now find another Dr, she is gone and he is moving, closing the office, and been going round and round with the UH hospital system and their scheduling, totall y FUBAR, and went round and round with Medicare and United Healthcare and got a NEW dr even close to home and was able to see them NOW, not come November or a Neurologist sometime in Jan,of NEXT Year????duh total BS........don't get old???
wrong, its still better than the alternative......Good luck ( or is it better luck???)

 

[Jeepnik]

First, appearance of “not caring” is often to protect the mental and physical well being of a care giver.

Folks who deal with human tragedy need ways to deal with it. The general term is often morgue humor.

Firefighters joking about “crispy critters” is a mechanism I have personally used. Better that than dwell on the loss of life and pay an even higher price. A price that most, thankfully, will never understand.

 

[MaxMan]

First, appearance of "not caring" is often to protect the mental and physical well being of a care giver.

Folks who deal with human tragedy need ways to deal with it. The general term is often morgue humor.

Firefighters joking about "crispy critters" is a mechanism I have personally used. Better that than dwell on the loss of life and pay an even higher price. A price that most, thankfully, will never understand.

I appreciate your comment, One son is a Para medic th other an ICU nurse. But blowing someone off with Google it is inexcusable iwith my book.

 

[eveled]

Probably tired of explaining something to a patient just to gave them say “ya that’s what google said”.

Not excusing her actions just offering a possible explantation.

 

[peachhead]

If my Dr told me to Google it, I'd find another dr.

I took my mother to a neurologist one time and he was a complete ass. We didn't go back.

I've personally been to one doc who had zero bedside manner at all. Told me my blood pressure was high (never had that issue and still don't), ignoring the fact that I was in pain due to a blown out knee that needed to be drained. When he got around to draining it, he stuck the needle in AND THEN STARTED THUMPING MY KNEE TO GET THE FLUID OUT. It took a lot of effort on my part not to kick him in the face.
I'm sure he's a smart guy but that was the last time I went to him.

 

[blume357]

My wife and my biggest problem is this whole system is now designed to communicate with you via the internet and this thing called my chart. She spent several hours trying to call last week to cancel an appointment and finally asked me to go on line and see if I could do it, which I did. But what do old folks who don't have a computer and the knowledge of them do?

 

[MaxMan]

Probably tired of explaining something to a patient just to gave them say "ya that's what google said".

Not excusing her actions just offering a possible explantation.

This was the PA but I do think doctors get tired of DR Google giving second opinions.

 

[MaxMan]

If my Dr told me to Google it, I'd find another dr.

I took my mother to a neurologist one time and he was a complete ass. We didn't go back.

I've personally been to one doc who had zero bedside manner at all. Told me my blood pressure was high (never had that issue and still don't), ignoring the fact that I was in pain due to a blown out knee that needed to be drained. When he got around to draining it, he stuck the needle in AND THEN STARTED THUMPING MY KNEE TO GET THE FLUID OUT. It took a lot of effort on my part not to kick him in the face.
I'm sure he's a smart guy but that was the last time I went to him.

Just got one recommended by DIL.

 

[bobski]

when i go to VA, the new thing now is ....they turn their computer screen to face you and point to on line pictures and and graphs.

 

[Johnnu2]

WE'RE DOOMED

J.

 

[sceva]

I guess I am lucky, when i make an appt with my Dr I always see him. They do have a PA and I have scheduled with them also but it it always MY choicve.

 

[MaxMan]

Single Doc practices seem to be better than groups. I have a single doc and so does the wife but the specialist travel in herds and are protected by the PAs. PAs can be a good thing. My Cardio guy is in a group but the PAs are great. Actually when I have any tests done if the PA comes in GOOD NEWS if the doc comes in uh oh.

 

[DeletedMember275]

My wife and my biggest problem is this whole system is now designed to communicate with you via the internet and this thing called my chart. She spent several hours trying to call last week to cancel an appointment and finally asked me to go on line and see if I could do it, which I did. But what do old folks who don't have a computer and the knowledge of them do?

I fought with 'My Chart' for an hour yesterday, trying to schedule a couple of simple appointments. Would you believe that with 11 locations and around 15 Neurology 'providers' in the greater Houston area in this large medical group, not one of them has an open appointment for the rest of the year? I don't either.

 

[DeletedMember275]

This was the PA but I do think doctors get tired of DR Google giving second opinions.

That's doubtless true. I know the first thing that I do when I'm diagnosed with something is to Google it. I'm not trying to second-guess the doctor, but I want to be an informed patient. A year ago at my semi-annual physical, my doctor flipped through the test results from my blood work, told me that everything was 'good' - BP, blood sugar, chloesterol, etc., and then sent me home. And hour later, she calls to tell me that she neglected to tell me that my PSAs are elevated. She meant that she hadn't looked at my test results until she walked into the room where I was waiting, and she missed that important fact. 'Okay, what's a PSA, and why do I care?' Oh, that's Prostate Specific Antigens, and it means that you might have prostate cancer. 'Gee doc, d'ya think that we prolly shoulda discussed this at your office, during my visit? Instead of an hour later, over the phone?'

So I went to Google and researched PSAs and prostate cancer. And then I called my son, the doctor, and talked to him. Fortunately, my PSAs are now well within the 'normal' range, and I do not have prostate cancer.

 

[MaxMan]

That's doubtless true. I know the first thing that I do when I'm diagnosed with something is to Google it. I'm not trying to second-guess the doctor, but I want to be an informed patient. A year ago at my semi-annual physical, my doctor flipped through the test results from my blood work, told me that everything was 'good' - BP, blood sugar, chloesterol, etc., and then sent me home. And hour later, she calls to tell me that she neglected to tell me that my PSAs are elevated. She meant that she hadn't looked at my test results until she walked into the room where I was waiting, and she missed that important fact. 'Okay, what's a PSA, and why do I care?' Oh, that's Prostate Specific Antigens, and it means that you might have prostate cancer. 'Gee doc, d'ya think that we prolly shoulda discussed this at your office, during my visit? Instead of an hour later, over the phone?'

So I went to Google and researched PSAs and prostate cancer. And then I called my son, the doctor, and talked to him. Fortunately, my PSAs are now well within the 'normal' range, and I do not have prostate cancer.

Good news. Luck you have a doctor son to bounce stuff off of.

I fought with 'My Chart' for an hour yesterday, trying to schedule a couple of simple appointments. Would you believe that with 11 locations and around 15 Neurology 'providers' in the greater Houston area in this large medical group, not one of them has an open appointment for the rest of the year? I don't either.

Tried to get a pulmonologist appointment for my MIL 6 Months. Of course, this is God's waiting room down here and with the RSV and COVID I can understand. I know a guy who goes to Houstin for his serious medical stuff. Bet you got a lot of out if towners out there.

 

[Acorn]

The flip side.
When my Mom had a stroke a couple years ago she had a nurse that was an absolute gem.
She answered any questions we had.
Though her specialty was renal care, she took time to find the answers to any of our queries.
She probably got frustrated with us but never showed it.
A real professional.

 

[Jeepnik]

With a background as a paramedic I have a fair understanding of the body.

In speaking with a cardiologist months back I made reference to the pericardium. She looked at me askance and almost sneered “where did you get that Google?”

I responded very politely that I got my information from Grey’s Anatomy several decades before she was born. After the shock wore off we had a long conversation about my background and established a very good relationship.

I really couldn’t blame her for her attitude. With patients insisting on prescriptions based of TV commercials I can understand the frustration.

 

[Sam Summey]

Recently, I went to the VA for a follow-up on my new hearing aids. First questions I was asked was concerning how stressed I was, if I had contemplated suicide, and a few unrelated to hearing questions. Everything is just "Hunky Dory!"

 

[Jeepnik]

Sam you are now listed as a racist. We’re not supposed to say things like “hunky dory” anymore. Apparently it is insensitive to Asians

 

[Paul B]

What torques my jaws regarding doctors is you get an appointment for say 10:00 and first they tell you to be 15 to 30 minutes early to complete any needed paper work which in my case usually takes about five minutes. Then at about 10:15 you're escorted to the little room where you will see the doctor and wait at least another 30 to 40 minutes before the doc finally shows up. One doc I see, my oncologist, is a 45 mile round trip. Depending on traffic it's 45 minutes to a little over an hour one wae. A 10 AM visit literally blows the hell out of half a day and that doesn't count in the after effects of the treatment. Wasn't fun doing the chemo three times a week. At least for that I went in with usually less than 10 minutes to get started. Now I have to go once a month for the check up and some king of shot and I don't wish that on anyone. I'd rather put up with th chemo. Chemo done then about 6 months of radiation that wasn't so far from the house maybe 25 miles or so round trip but had to do it every day. So a half hour or so each way, about 5 minutes for check in, go in get zapped with the rads for 10 minutes and back on the way home.

That was just for the cancer. Just this week alone I go in for a colonoscapy, see my cardiologist, my kidney doctor and my primary care doc all in this week.

For the record it's been like that for roughly the last five years. My lady friend can't seem to understand why I'm so grouchy. I need to find a new lady friend but at my age they're very few and very far between.
Paul B.

 

[txramfan]

My wife and my biggest problem is this whole system is now designed to communicate with you via the internet and this thing called my chart. She spent several hours trying to call last week to cancel an appointment and finally asked me to go on line and see if I could do it, which I did. But what do old folks who don't have a computer and the knowledge of them do?

Mom is 97 , pop was 100 when he passed earlier this year. Mom now has her weekday caregiver call her primary care DR for refills or appts or any ask questions. Until my dad passed, he made all the phone calls. Pop used an iPad to buy stuff, not to communicate with DRs. Mom looks at an iPad , doesn't know how to use it.