How long should you wait for a doctor?

[vraiblonde]

Yeah, I remember the doctors we had, as kids. One doctor - his secretary/nurse/assistant - who was the same person - and you went in and waited like everyone else - and yes, they even made house calls. I think there are a LOT of reasons why that world is gone.

See, I want that world back. I want to know my doctor, not it be whoever's up next like a car dealership.

It's interesting that all these regulations and insurance and whatever else were put in place to facilitate public health.....and yet Americans have more health problems than ever. As a nation we were healthier when we all smoked in grocery stores and on planes.

 

[SamSpade]

See, I want that world back. I want to know my doctor, not it be whoever's up next like a car dealership.

And - basically - I don't think that's coming back.

It's interesting that all these regulations and insurance and whatever else were put in place to facilitate public health.....

And that - along with a few other things - is a big part of why it's true. As a nation, we are regulated to death, and the money - exists to keep people doing the regulating in business.

You know what we COULD use? Some way for our medical information to be easily portable AND secure. I'm losing my mind over how many times I have to fill out forms by hand - and REFILL them yearly - at every doctor, dentist, optometrist and so on I go to. Not long ago, I ran across something that is becoming increasingly common - filling out a form for a doctor - and PAYING A FEE FOR IT. Yep - "required" form, specific to that doctor - and they charge a fee of anywhere from 30 to 50 bucks to hand it in. I guarantee you, there's either some rule or regulation requiring compliance on the part of the medical practice.

 

[Gilligan]

And sometimes - they don't always have a say in the matter.

My best friend is a doctor - a different kind. He no longer has the freedom to just stay with a patient if he thinks it's needed - nope, he now basically works for corporate, and THEY tell him, no more than x minutes with a patient. So booking patients is largely out of his control

My wife's favorite doc quit her job when MedStar or whomever bought the practice and imposed that kind of stuff.

 

[Gilligan]

Speaking wait times.... close friend and former employee took his wife in to St. Mary's ER early the other morning, complaining of severe chest pains. Five hours later she was finally seen by someone who recognized what was happening and she was quickly transferred to South Md Hospital Center and immediately went under the knife to repair a torn heart valve. Very close call....

This is the second egregious case of malpractice I've seen at St. Mary's...where death was the certain outcome were it not for some "lucky timing" intervention and patient transfer. They need to put a sign up over the ER entrance: "Welcome to SMH ER. Do Ya Feel Lucky?"

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

Speaking wait times.... close friend and former employee took his wife in to St. Mary's ER early the other morning, complaining of severe chest pains. Five hours later she was finally seen by someone who recognized what was happening and she was quickly transferred to South Md Hospital Center and immediately went under the knife to repair a torn heart valve. Very close call....

This is the second egregious case of malpractice I've seen at St. Mary's...where death was the certain outcome were it not for some "lucky timing" intervention and patient transfer. They need to put a sign up over the ER entrance: "Welcome to SMH ER. Do Ya Feel Lucky?"

That's strange since ERs usually fast track someone presenting with a heart attack. Having said that, women have different symptoms for cardiac events than men and the learning curve for those seems to be slow in some places.

 

[Kyle]

That's strange since ERs usually fast track someone presenting with a heart attack. Having said that, women have different symptoms for cardiac events than men and the learning curve for those seems to be slow in some places.

… the person taking notes probably couldn’t be bothered to look up from candy crush long enough to make an assessment.

 

[KingFish]

I remember when I was going with a group to hike a section of the Appalachian trail, all hikers had to have a physical done with their application. I considered myself healthy, have not been to a doctor in years, so I picked one out at random to sign off on the form. Went to see Dr. John Brooks up in PF. First thing he says is how tall I am. Told him 6'1 and he argued with me. My number was based on the flight surgeon at Malcom Grove medical center where I had to go for my flight physical 12 years earlier. He did not bother measuring my height. While sitting in the chair he said I was morbidly obese. I was thinking WOW, some bedside manner. All I could do was laugh. I was not that bad. He asked what I was doing for it. I said keeping my life insurance paid up. He said it was no laughing matter, really argumentative, and ready to start S!*T. I just left the office thinking I paid a copay to get insulted. I went over to a new Dr for the same physical and he totally disagreed with Dr. Brooks. Signed my form and my son and I had a great time on the hike.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

That's strange since ERs usually fast track someone presenting with a heart attack. Having said that, women have different symptoms for cardiac events than men and the learning curve for those seems to be slow in some places.

I don't understand how, roughly half of all people are women.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

And - basically - I don't think that's coming back.



And that - along with a few other things - is a big part of why it's true. As a nation, we are regulated to death, and the money - exists to keep people doing the regulating in business.

You know what we COULD use? Some way for our medical information to be easily portable AND secure. I'm losing my mind over how many times I have to fill out forms by hand - and REFILL them yearly - at every doctor, dentist, optometrist and so on I go to. Not long ago, I ran across something that is becoming increasingly common - filling out a form for a doctor - and PAYING A FEE FOR IT. Yep - "required" form, specific to that doctor - and they charge a fee of anywhere from 30 to 50 bucks to hand it in. I guarantee you, there's either some rule or regulation requiring compliance on the part of the medical practice.

Man that sounds like the doctor moonlights as a used car salesman.

 

[Bobwhite]

I had a knee appointment today at 3 in those medical buildings across the street from the church on Hollywood Road. I got there at 2:30, no patients waiting. They took me back for xrays at 2:45 and then sat me in a room and closed the door. At 3:50 I got up and walked into the lobby to ask if the doctor even knew I was there. They said yes he was busy with other patients but would be with me when he could. I said okay but I'm leaving in fifteen minutes.

So another ten minutes goes by and he walked in. He introduced himself, didn't offer his hand, didn't smile, said sorry about the wait, I understand you said you were leaving and I said yes. He said is that because you're tired of waiting and I said I needed to get home to give my son his seizure medication. He said okay I understand you have knee pain and he said where's the pain and I said in my knees. I guess that sounds smartassy BUT I've been a patient there for two years, they took xrays that very day - he should have been able to see that my thigh bone resting on my leg bone without cartilage is probably painful.

He sighs, pulls up a chair and said look I'm trying to help you but your attitude....that's all I needed to hear and I said you know what? I don't like you already and I just find another bone doctor, you are not going to work for me.

And on the way out I stopped by reception I said take me off your patient list that man is an *******.

So anyone know any knee guys?

I'm sorry to hear that. There is a doctor in that practice that replaced both of my knees and I would marry him if I could. I've sent several friends and family members to him and they all feel the same way I do about him. I hope your bad experience wasn't with him.

 

[BOP]

And the reason is: for all people's gripes about arrogant corporate doctors, they will flock to them instead of the private practitioner. They like the fancy building and the professional website and the impersonal trappings, and are apparently willing to be treated poorly rather than go to a doctor who doesn't have the bells and whistles but will treat them with respect.

We stumbled into Calvert Internal Medicine Group on accident. We had moved from Piney Point to the Ranch Estates back in 2005, and were looking for a doctor. Someone recommended a primary to my wife. We went, and were happy enough with the practice. I'm still going to them 20 years later.

My primary is kind of a dick with communication issues and no sense of humor, but so far, he's been competent enough, so I just shine it on.

 

[BOP]

You know I wouldn't have even had to know the reason why the doctor was late, it's really not my business, but the staff should have kept me posted and given me the option to reschedule.

I've said for decades that there's no business in Southern Maryland that the local talent can't kill off. It could be the whole last couple of generations, but it's true here, at least.

 

[BOP]

Speaking wait times.... close friend and former employee took his wife in to St. Mary's ER early the other morning, complaining of severe chest pains. Five hours later she was finally seen by someone who recognized what was happening and she was quickly transferred to South Md Hospital Center and immediately went under the knife to repair a torn heart valve. Very close call....

This is the second egregious case of malpractice I've seen at St. Mary's...where death was the certain outcome were it not for some "lucky timing" intervention and patient transfer. They need to put a sign up over the ER entrance: "Welcome to SMH ER. Do Ya Feel Lucky?"

People I worked with on base, when we first moved here, used to say "St. Mary's Hospital - where patients go to die."

 

[BOP]

I remember when I was going with a group to hike a section of the Appalachian trail, all hikers had to have a physical done with their application. I considered myself healthy, have not been to a doctor in years, so I picked one out at random to sign off on the form. Went to see Dr. John Brooks up in PF. First thing he says is how tall I am. Told him 6'1 and he argued with me. My number was based on the flight surgeon at Malcom Grove medical center where I had to go for my flight physical 12 years earlier. He did not bother measuring my height. While sitting in the chair he said I was morbidly obese. I was thinking WOW, some bedside manner. All I could do was laugh. I was not that bad. He asked what I was doing for it. I said keeping my life insurance paid up. He said it was no laughing matter, really argumentative, and ready to start S!*T. I just left the office thinking I paid a copay to get insulted. I went over to a new Dr for the same physical and he totally disagreed with Dr. Brooks. Signed my form and my son and I had a great time on the hike.

 

[BOP]

I don't understand how, roughly half of all people are women.

I don't know how many specialist's offices I've been to over the years who assume that my doctor is a man. At one point, I had only male doctor and about a half dozen between my primary and the various specialists I saw. That was my cardiologist. Endo doc, sleep doc, and everyone else was female.

That's all changed, mainly by attrition, but all the staff making those assumptions were young females.

 

[Ken King]

While I personally believe that most of the medical profession is a scam (save the emergency medical attention types) that exists solely to set its hooks into you to bleed you dry I wonder if these appointment waits are worth the ire. By that I wonder how long you had to wait from initial contact to actually getting in for an appointment. Seems to me that it is days, weeks, or months before you get an appointment. If you can wait that out, why do minutes to hours matter?

 

[PeoplesElbow]

While I personally believe that most of the medical profession is a scam (save the emergency medical attention types) that exists solely to set its hooks into you to bleed you dry I wonder if these appointment waits are worth the ire. By that I wonder how long you had to wait from initial contact to actually getting in for an appointment. Seems to me that it is days, weeks, or months before you get an appointment. If you can wait that out, why do minutes to hours matter?

No doubt, I had a seriously itchy rash a while back, called around to dermatologists and couldn't get in within two months.

All I know is it wasn't poison ivy, I washed with bleach and it went away.

 

[LightRoasted]

For your consideration ...

No doubt, I had a seriously itchy rash a while back, called around to dermatologists and couldn't get in within two months.

All I know is it wasn't poison ivy, I washed with bleach and it went away.

Heard bleach is great for COVID as well.

 

[NOTSMC]

I'm sorry to hear that. There is a doctor in that practice that replaced both of my knees and I would marry him if I could. I've sent several friends and family members to him and they all feel the same way I do about him. I hope your bad experience wasn't with him.

If you're talking about Dr. Lennen in Leonardtown, I've got dibs on him. Unfortunately, he moved to Virginia - and if it wasn't four or five hours away, I'd be going there for an appointment. This guy took over for him I think.

Hey if your guy is good, could you let me know who? I need the gel shots badly - it's going to be probably a year before I'm ready for surgery. How long did it take you to recuperate?

 

[KingFish]

We stumbled into Calvert Internal Medicine Group on accident. We had moved from Piney Point to the Ranch Estates back in 2005, and were looking for a doctor. Someone recommended a primary to my wife. We went, and were happy enough with the practice. I'm still going to them 20 years later.

My primary is kind of a dick with communication issues and no sense of humor, but so far, he's been competent enough, so I just shine it on.

That is who I go to now. I am happy with the overall care. I have not been insulted yet.