I had the sinking feeling that my doctor was making my health care Teppan-style.
That gut feeling of yours is self-preservation. Listen to it! Long story short--when the 'wallet biopsy' is more obvious than the health care itself, RUN!
Here are the red flags from a recent visit:
- The medical offices in the duplex building are still unoccupied since the dentist moved out three months ago.
- The medical director, read 'owner of entire duplex' is there, and usually isn't.
- I make eye contact with 'my' doctor, but the 'owner' chooses to see us instead.
- 'my' doctor makes an off-hand remark in protest over the 'owner's ' aggressiveness.
- I like to be seen at the same time as the sick ones in the family--this is family practice convenience, this is why we go.
- The sign on the front door said, 'As of January 1, we no longer accept American Express'. I had a credit card machine from when I did anesthesia for plastics in the community. It's an extra charge each month that is separate to process American Express. Someone is cutting back.
- My New Age Chiropractor turned M.D. 'is no longer with us.' and there is no forwarding info.
- We are rushed.
- The physician writes MY symptoms on my kid's chart. The writing is terrible. I have to point out the error.
- The child with the yellow purulent nasal discharge gets a diagnosis of eczema.
- I, with the sore throat and the earache, get a sinus x-ray ($70), a strep-throat test ($35), and two injections--Antibiotic, and Steroid ($120) . I have the same illness as my son, who is worse.
- All of the decisions are lightning-fast. I have no input. Doc literally says, 'I WILL GIVE YOU --(fill in the blank test or treatment)'.
- My prescriptions from the clinic--which is NOT a pharmacy and doesn't go through my insurance--are normally thirty dollars each I will give both of them to you for thirty dollars total.
- I refuse. I accept only the thirty dollar steroid cream for the eczema, to be polite, making a mental note never to come back.
- I demand a prescription for my pharmacy, stating that my antibiotic is only four dollars on my insurance, not fifteen like here. (My name was WRITTEN on the bottles).
- I double-check with my pharmacist. Steroid cream--$4. Antibiotics-$4. Other med that was threatened to be 'Twenty-five on your insurance' was Over The Counter.
Inwardly, I gave thanks. Although the convenience of this place had been the 'draw', I had my doubts about the quality of care since my favorite doctor, the woman, left one year ago. I have to admit, the kid's sinus problems got better when he was put on steroids and given an injection by this same doc that did the financial/medical assault on me today. Desperate times mean desperate acts, but not on my dime. I don't think so.
'Notice--membership dues are due soon!' said the notice on the envelope of the AMA I got in the mail around the same time as this 'visit'.
I haven't joined since medical school. I did not feel like they represented me well. It was an organization for angry old men! I joined my specialty organizations instead. I am in four.
Old school medicine doesn't stand a chance with our rising levels of Consciousness. It is over.
Namaste,
Reiki Doc
