Doctors don't want to see sick people

I feel/think there is a real probability of a near future health care crisis. We have less doctors and an aging population that is bigger than we can handle. We are going to have to learn to take care of ourselves. Maybe some of those old home remedies are going to become quite handy again.
 
debodun said:
In fact on my doctor's office door is a sign reading, "If you're feeling sick, please go to a hospital or emergency room, or call 911." What's the point of a doctor that won't see sick people?

Hospitals are also seem to be limiting admissions.
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....same situation here in Ontario.
A friend , whose doctor closed her practice , has been trying to find a family doctor for almost 2 months now.
No luck with that yet.
Her husband has problem which needs investigation. Walk in clinics are few and far between now and not accepting new patients.
Next step is emergency and that is another frightening story.
What is wrong with this world we are living in ?
...it scares me !!
 

Because there are myriad people, ignorant of medical science, that will otherwise go to see doctors unsafely when they feel ill, even if they have very contagious diseases. There are limits to how effectively doctors, nurses, and their staffs can protect themselves from pathogens. Those people most likely to visit doctors and hospitals for even ordinary head cold viruses are also those most likely to do so in ways that are dangerous to medical personnel. In the past such was tolerated even for influenza, especially at emergency clinics that tend to be carefully prepared to deal with contagious diseases.

Even before the current pandemic, people with a list of uncommon contagious diseases that are considerate serious enough would not be allowed to just walk into indoor hospitals and clinics but rather would be met with those hazmat suits. That is why with COVID-19 many operations moved outdoors where ventilation disperses airborne viruses. So medical facilities are wise to force such people to first go through established protocols, filtering out those who would be contagious to valuable medical personnel so they can be more safely dealt with. In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic given many unknowns, significant numbers of medical personnel did become sick from caring for patients with many heroes paying the ultimate price for that duty. In this pandemic, there are also the many that even though they know what medical facilities ask of them are resistant to doing so that must be more strongly coerced.
 
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Perhaps there is a need for clinics that cater to respiratory, flu and other such contagious symptoms.

Before people go nuts on me over this suggestion, I've been face to face with active covid patients in full PPE. Did I like it, no. Do I like being employed, yes. I'm yet to get covid. Knocks wood.

But telling sick people they can't be seen isn't great either. Some people shouldn't be seen for respiratory or flu symptoms. They should stay home and it will pass. But with some, especially elderly, the flu can make them dangerously dehydrated. Something that could have been handled by their body 20 years ago could take them out today. There is a need there. I know walk in clinics in my town will do IV hydration without a need to go to the hospital.
 
debodun said:
In fact on my doctor's office door is a sign reading, "If you're feeling sick, please go to a hospital or emergency room, or call 911." What's the point of a doctor that won't see sick people?

Hospitals are also seem to be limiting admissions.
Click to expand...
Out veterinarian has a similar sign: "do not bring your animal if it is throwing up, sneezing or has diarrhea" ??? People don't go to the doctor's office or veterinarian just for a social visit....😒
 
Nathan said:
Out veterinarian has a similar sign: "do not bring your animal if it is throwing up, sneezing or has diarrhea" ??
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I don't have a pet anymore, but my vet had a sign like that. When a dog or cat had those symptoms, we were instructed to go around to the side entrance where the vet tech opened a door directly into a separate "isolation" room.
This was so the other pets in the waiting room were not exposed to a contagious illness.
They used the same procedure for a severely injured animal.
 
Nathan said:
Out veterinarian has a similar sign: "do not bring your animal if it is throwing up, sneezing or has diarrhea" ??? People don't go to the doctor's office or veterinarian just for a social visit....😒
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I'm yet to see that one. I'm starting with a new vet next month.

Those are severe symptoms and if an animal is having these, it could be life threatening. What are they expecting people to do?

This is getting crazy especially with a vet shortage (or so I have heard). So actually sick people and pets can't be seen.

They could request these animals be brought through the back and into an isolated area. If they want to state this, a solution needs to be found IMO.
 
I rarely go to see the GP ( general practioner) .. I have to be feeling really bad before I do go.. and yet despite that, the last few times I've been ( 3 times in 3 years)... the Doctors of whom are all new and or part-time now.. are snappy, and irritable. It's bad enough feeling poorly without knowing the Doctors is irritated by your presence ..and totally unhelpful into the bargain
 
Nathan said:
Out veterinarian has a similar sign: "do not bring your animal if it is throwing up, sneezing or has diarrhea" ??? People don't go to the doctor's office or veterinarian just for a social visit....😒
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LOL - "We don't want to bother with your sick pet, so don't bring him in; just take him to a shelter to be put down & send us a check."
 
My doctor retired. When I went in for an already scheduled appointment with his replacement doctor he slipped in the exam room and sat on a stool right by the door. Informed me that he would not see patients but once per year (vs. every six months with previous doc) and he gave no reason even when asked. I’m betting it is some change in Medicare regs. That was it for the first visit - no interest whatsoever in me or my concerns. I’ve noticed that there are many more nurse practitioners than in the past and thought about trying one of them but my neighbor has been seeing one for a couple of years but is finding it difficult to get an appointment - sometimes a week out or more.
 
hollydolly said:
I rarely go to see the GP ( general practioner) .. I have to be feeling really bad before I do go.. and yet despite that, the last few times I've been ( 3 times in 3 years)... the Doctors of whom are all new and or part-time now.. are snappy, and irritable. It's bad enough feeling poorly without knowing the Doctors is irritated by your presence ..and totally unhelpful into the bargain
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I rarely go if sick, usually I go to the doctors for check-ups or to request blood labs. When I'm sick there's usually nothing the doctor can do anyway, just rest and drink uh, fluids.
 
J-Kat said:
My doctor retired. When I went in for an already scheduled appointment with his replacement doctor he slipped in the exam room and sat on a stool right by the door. Informed me that he would not see patients but once per year (vs. every six months with previous doc) and he gave no reason even when asked. I’m betting it is some change in Medicare regs. That was it for the first visit - no interest whatsoever in me or my concerns. I’ve noticed that there are many more nurse practitioners than in the past and thought about trying one of them but my neighbor has been seeing one for a couple of years but is finding it difficult to get an appointment - sometimes a week out or more.
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It's not possible unless it's a dire emergency for us to get an appointment with a doctor here under a month...
 
When I go to my retinal doctor's office, I can plan on being there anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours - most of it waiting. I always arrive in time, but it about a half an hour before a triage aide calls me in for a pre-visit interview. Then I have to wait 45 to 90 minutes until I am called in for them to do a retinal scan. Then another 45 min to an hour before I even see the doctor. Both the outer an inner waiting rooms are usually filled from 50 to 80% capacity. It's always some excuse - We're triple booked today, one doctor left to see an emergency case and the other has to cover, or one of our scanning machines is broken and there's a backlog of patients waiting for it.

Sheesh....seems they could do with a efficiency expert. Why do they triple book? Why can't they get their retinal scanner fixed? Why don't they have more doctors to cover?

Most other people waiting have cell phones to keep them amused while waiting, but I don't have one. I have to amuse myself counting the perforations in the ceiling tiles.
 
debodun said:
When I go to my retinal doctor's office, I can plan on being there anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours - most of it waiting. I always arrive in time, but it about a half an hour before a triage aide calls me in for a pre-visit interview. Then I have to wait 45 to 90 minutes until I am called in for them to do a retinal scan. Then another 45 min to an hour before I even see the doctor. Both the outer an inner waiting rooms are usually filled from 50 to 80% capacity. It's always some excuse - We're triple booked today, one doctor left to see an emergency case and the other has to cover, or one of our scanning machines is broken and there's a backlog of patients waiting for it.

Sheesh....seems they could do with a efficiency expert. Why do they triple book? Why can't they get their retinal scanner fixed? Why don't they have more doctors to cover?

Most other people waiting have cell phones to keep them amused while waiting, but I don't have one. I have to amuse myself counting the perforations in the ceiling tiles.
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There must be a Doctors excuse book, because our Doctors trot out the same excuses. ..time and time again.

Take a book with you next time..

I take my phone , and play games on it or read the papers.. I know you can't do that..

You should get a Kindle.. you can load it with free library books.. no need to spend any money buying books or magazines..
 
I called the retinal office today to ask when my next surgery might be scheduled - it's been a week since I was there. Ten minute wait, then, "We can't reach your primary doctor for your pre-operative medical exam. When we do, we'll let you know when that is."

No wonder she has that sign on her door. She may not be there. I've had this problem with her before - she just takes off unanounced to visit her family in South America and can be gone anywhere from 2 weeks to a month. Of course this is speculation on my part.
 
J-Kat said:
My doctor retired. When I went in for an already scheduled appointment with his replacement doctor he slipped in the exam room and sat on a stool right by the door. Informed me that he would not see patients but once per year (vs. every six months with previous doc) and he gave no reason even when asked. I’m betting it is some change in Medicare regs. That was it for the first visit - no interest whatsoever in me or my concerns. I’ve noticed that there are many more nurse practitioners than in the past and thought about trying one of them but my neighbor has been seeing one for a couple of years but is finding it difficult to get an appointment - sometimes a week out or more.
Click to expand...
On one of the medical lecture videos I watch on YouTube the physician-lecturer said that fewer and fewer medical students are completing courses in general medicine; most medical students prefer to specialize, and that's created a shortage of family doctors. So physician's assistants and nurse practitioners are gradually filling the role of general practitioners.

I was having a hard time finding a new PCP when I first moved here to Sacramento, but then my neighbor suggested I go to the local medical university website. There were dozens of them listed there, and all of them are MDs and they all take medicare.
 
I've been waiting since July 8 (when my primary care doc sent in the referral) to see a specialist; I keep calling and they keep telling me I'm in line with the "other 200+ patients waiting." So I heard about a good specialist in the same field in a town about 30 min. away; after going through the obstacle course of contacting my med. insurance online to see if they'd allow me to see this out-of-town doc and they will, I call the doc's office to be informed that due to being inundated with patients, he's only seeing those that live in his town. So I'm back to waiting for the specialist in my town.
 
debodun said:
In fact on my doctor's office door is a sign reading, "If you're feeling sick, please go to a hospital or emergency room, or call 911." What's the point of a doctor that won't see sick people?

Hospitals are also seem to be limiting admissions.
Click to expand...
Where I live in California, doctors generally schedule patients a few weeks in advance. You can't just walk in to a doctor's office unannounced and expect to see your doctor. The sign you are referring to means the doctor doesn't want you to come in for your pre-scheduled appointment if you are sick with something ELSE that is possibly contagious and which is presumably NOT what you wanted to see your doctor for in the first place. If people become suddenly ill or come down with something, the place to go is either an urgent care clinic or hospital ER, the latter of which generally requires that the patient be tended to by paramedics and brought in by an ambulance.
 
debodun said:
When I go to my retinal doctor's office, I can plan on being there anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours - most of it waiting. I always arrive in time, but it about a half an hour before a triage aide calls me in for a pre-visit interview. Then I have to wait 45 to 90 minutes until I am called in for them to do a retinal scan. Then another 45 min to an hour before I even see the doctor. Both the outer an inner waiting rooms are usually filled from 50 to 80% capacity. It's always some excuse - We're triple booked today, one doctor left to see an emergency case and the other has to cover, or one of our scanning machines is broken and there's a backlog of patients waiting for it.

Sheesh....seems they could do with a efficiency expert. Why do they triple book? Why can't they get their retinal scanner fixed? Why don't they have more doctors to cover?

Most other people waiting have cell phones to keep them amused while waiting, but I don't have one. I have to amuse myself counting the perforations in the ceiling tiles.
Click to expand...
I took my sister to the ER for a sprained ankle. She was concerned that it might be broken.
After waiting 4 hours for a 1-minute x-ray, I asked a doctor why we had to wait so long.
His B.S. answer: "Well.....uh.....we're required to treat the illegal Hispanics in the waiting room first."
 
sch404 said:
Where I live in California, doctors generally schedule patients a few weeks in advance. You can't just walk in to a doctor's office unannounced and expect to see your doctor. The sign you are referring to means the doctor doesn't want you to come in for your pre-scheduled appointment if you are sick with something ELSE that is possibly contagious and which is presumably NOT what you wanted to see your doctor for in the first place. If people become suddenly ill or come down with something, the place to go is either an urgent care clinic or hospital ER, the latter of which generally requires that the patient be tended to by paramedics and brought in by an ambulance.
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I'm also in CA. Most patients in the ER do not arrive by ambulance. I've never heard of any such requirement.
 
I have been going to my primary care doctor since 2008. This morning I called for an appointment for some time in October and was told his next available appointment is the last week of December!! I questioned why it was so far out, I used to be able to get an appointment in 2-3 weeks.
I was told several doctors in the area have retired, and others left the state.:eek:
 

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