I am so frustrated about my upcoming eye surgery

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
At first, the doctor that's doing the surgery said I wouldn't have to repeat having an EKG, blood work or a COVID test since my last surgery was only a few weeks ago - I'd just have to have a pre-op physical. I did that yesterday with my PCP which consisted of weight, blood pressure, pulse and listening to my breathing and heartbeat.

This morning I received a call from the medical group telling me I had to have everything, except what the doctor did yesterday, done over. I questioned them saying their doctor said I didn't and added that I had wished they had told me that before I went for my pre-op physical and my PCP could have done that then. The person said it wouldn't have mattered, they have to do it, not my PCP. The rules have just changed and they have to have test results within 3 days of the operation, so the tests done for my first procedure are no longer valid. Now I have to make a 50 mile round-trip to get this done.

I get several phone calls a day and have to tell different people the same thing. It may be due to the fact that the procedure is going to be done at a different venue than the first one - the first was done at Albany Medical Center, this one will be at Samaritan Hospital. The one that called this morning said I will be receiving ANOTHER call on Monday! You'd think there would be some communication between these people.

It's like playing a game where the rules keep changing.
 

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We all know that there is nothing simple about getting medical treatment today. I don't think we will see any end to that. Go here, do that, get this test, this Xray. Go home and wait, can't do anything about your pain, you will just have to wait. We will get you scheduled asap.

I remember once a upon a time that if tests were run and found a problem that needed surgery, you would be admitted and looked after until the surgery was done. Now if there is a problem but not in their minds life threatening they just send you home to suffer until it is convenient for them to get the job done. They have done the tests, the problem is real but still they don't fix it. That just boils my blood. We pay all this money for insurance, then they do not want to let you get treatment!
 
I'm frustrated for you deb. Hope it all helps you, that's the main thing.

As for your 50 mile round trip, well, you chose to live in the sticks!
 

Blessed said:
I remember once a upon a time that if tests were run and found a problem that needed surgery, you would be admitted and looked after until the surgery was done. Now if there is a problem but not in their minds life threatening they just send you home to suffer until it is convenient for them to get the job done. They have done the tests, the problem is real but still they don't fix it. That just boils my blood. We pay all this money for insurance, then they do not want to let you get treatment!
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They don't want you in the hospital. That's where you can pick up life-threatening illnesses. At least that's what they tell me. :)
 
Pepper said:
They don't want you in the hospital. That's where you can pick up life-threatening illnesses. At least that's what they tell me. :)
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That's their excuse to make it sound like they care.
A friend had a knee replacement & they tried to send her home the next day, when she was half conscious & couldn't get out of bed. The doctor came in while I was visiting & tried to give me that same B.S. about an infection. After I argued, they let her stay for 2 more days.
The real reason - they want the room ready for another paying patient.

Oh, & when a hospital patient does get an infection, it's usually caused by doctors going from patient to patient without washing their hands.
 
I find most specialists are sorely lacking in "bedside manner" and are usually overbooked. When I was in the ophthalmologist's waiting room this week, there were probably 50 people waiting to see the 3 doctors there. My appointment time was 10 am and I didn't see the doctor until well after noon. It seems to me they treat patients like cattle and are very impersonal - get 'em in, get 'em out, bill insurance and Billy be darned about you. I can understand some of it. Each doctor probably sees 100 people every day and it's difficult to maintain that "good ol' doctor" demeanor with everyone. They overbook because if a patient cancels, they don't want to be out that insurance money.
 
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I was talking to a person after church today about having to have another surgery. She said that she gets the impression from medical professionals that they are like fly-by-night auto garages. They repair something so it will work for a while, then break again and you have to keep going back to have it fixed over and over. It's to make more money.

Can't prove it though.
 
debodun said:
This is the list of "possible" risks of the retinal procedure. I had to initial that they were presented and explained to me and that I understood them. If I refused to sign off, they probably wouldn't do the surgery.

View attachment 234591
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Every surgery and procedure involves risk. Medical providers are morally and legally obligated to be sure patients understand those risks and agree to take them. Their insurers also insist on it.
 
Blessed said:
We all know that there is nothing simple about getting medical treatment today. I don't think we will see any end to that. Go here, do that, get this test, this Xray. Go home and wait, can't do anything about your pain, you will just have to wait. We will get you scheduled asap.

I remember once a upon a time that if tests were run and found a problem that needed surgery, you would be admitted and looked after until the surgery was done. Now if there is a problem but not in their minds life threatening they just send you home to suffer until it is convenient for them to get the job done. They have done the tests, the problem is real but still they don't fix it. That just boils my blood. We pay all this money for insurance, then they do not want to let you get treatment!
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And they make the patient do all the "leg work" now. WTH? :mad:
 
debodun said:
I find most specialists are sorely lacking in "bedside manner" and are usually overbooked. When I was in the ophthalmologist's waiting room this week, there were probably 50 people waiting to see the 3 doctors there. My appointment time was 10 am and I didn't see the doctor until well after noon. It seems to me they treat patients like cattle and are very impersonal - get 'em in, get 'em out, bill insurance and Billy be darned about you. I can understand some of it. Each doctor probably sees 100 people every day and it's difficult to maintain that "good ol' doctor" demeanor with everyone. They overbook because if a patient cancels, they don't want to be out that insurance money.
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Waiting for two hours is ridiculously long. If it were me, I would have changed doctors. There's no excuse for that. I can imagine how frustrating it must have been for you! Good luck with these specialists!
 
debodun said:
This is the list of "possible" risks of the retinal procedure. I had to initial that they were presented and explained to me and that I understood them. If I refused to sign off, they probably wouldn't do the surgery.

View attachment 234591
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All surgeries have some risk. I have had similar situations where they listed the risks of a surgery. It makes you want to stop and think if it's all worth it! But, so far, everything has worked out for me. Hope all goes well with you, @debodum! :)
 
StarSong said:
Every surgery and procedure involves risk. Medical providers are morally and legally obligated to be sure patients understand those risks and agree to take them. Their insurers also insist on it.
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I don't mind signing off on a bunch of forms. It's the administrative work that bugs me; setting up appointments for referrals and tests, calling my insurance (or providers) to get medical codes, make changes, etc. Isn't that their job? I could swear it used to be.
Ah well, changing world. WhatAreYaGonnaDo?
 
debodun said:
I was talking to a person after church today about having to have another surgery. She said that she gets the impression from medical professionals that they are like fly-by-night auto garages. They repair something so it will work for a while, then break again and you have to keep going back to have it fixed over and over. It's to make more money.

Can't prove it though.
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Great, medical care going the way of our tech devices, built to break in about two years. That's just unsettling.
 
palides2021 said:
Waiting for two hours is ridiculously long.
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It's that way everywhere. No matter what doctor's office and I've been in many lately. Even my PCP. For my pre-op physical my appointment was at 1:40 pm and I wasn't called in to the exam room until 2:15, then another 20 minute wait until the doc came in. And I didn't even see anyone else there!

I had the first morning appointment with a doctor I used to go to. It was at 8:30 am. He didn't show up until after 9 am. I know because he entered through the waiting room. If they start late, they're backed up already. I stopped going there because one time I brough my mom there and he had paitents standing up in the waiting room because there weren't enough chairs for them and another time I waited 2 hours when the receptionist announced that the doctor had left for the day and anyone that wanted to re-schedule to come to the window. He also spent an inordinate time talking to pharmaceutical agents and it wasn't even about medicine, I overheard him once talking about his fishing trip to a sales agennt. He's using patient's time to gab.
 
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I had a PCP who was SO good & SO thorough that seeing her would take over four hours, once as long as five! Drove me crazy, but she was the only really good PCP I ever had! She is now a concierge doctor so I can't afford her any more.
 
I don't know why I feel so apprehensive about the surgery this time. Most likely because the first time the doctor was optimistic even though his work didn't "take". This time (a different surgeon) was more pessimistic. I got the impression she thought she was wasting her time and it was going to be a more difficult procedure since my cataract replacement lens had a "fissure" and she is going to have to remove quite a bit of scarred retinal tissue.
 
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