I feel like a piece of meat.

[fuzzybuddy]

I live in an area, where there are two competing hospital organizations. Each one is a division of a huge monster medical conglomerate. I'm 71 and my knees are starting to give me problems. I limp and there's a lot of pain. I have spinal problems, so maybe those symptoms were spine related. My neurologist said, no. I needed to see orthopedists. She would get me an appointment. She's affiliated with one of the groups. My GP, who I saw a week later, is affiliated with the other group. He said he wished he saw me first, so he could hook me up with his group. I felt like a piece of meat to feed one lion or the other.
There are two conglomerates fighting over me. Do you feel the same?

 

[debbie in seattle]

We’re dealing with that too with my husband. His Oncologist is with one group and I want him to stay within the other group. So, we see her but when it comes to tests, hospitals, etc., we stay with the other group. It’s tough, I know.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

My GP belongs to one group. If he orders lab work, the order automatically goes to his group's lab. That lab is 40 minutes from me. There's the other group's lab 6 miles from me. It's a hassle trying to get a script for the lab work, so I can use the lab next to me.

 

[Ruthanne]

I live in an area, where there are two competing hospital organizations. Each one is a division of a huge monster medical conglomerate. I'm 71 and my knees are starting to give me problems. I limp and there's a lot of pain. I have spinal problems, so maybe those symptoms were spine related. My neurologist said, no. I needed to see orthopedists. She would get me an appointment. She's affiliated with one of the groups. My GP, who I saw a week later, is affiliated with the other group. He said he wished he saw me first, so he could hook me up with his group. I felt like a piece of meat to feed one lion or the other.
There are two conglomerates fighting over me. Do you feel the same?

Yes, I know what you mean. After I saw a new doctor and got a scan he referred me to two other doctors. So they are going to poke and prod me and come up with something or another. I had gone to the Cleveland Clinic for my scan and the doctor then referred me to his agency of doctors. Doctors will always be in business and fighting over patients.

 

[jujube]

In my area, a huge chunk of the medical practices have been bought up by the two big competing hospital systems. The practice that I've been going to for many, many years is one of those.

Now the hospital system makes the practice charge a "hospital facility charge" even though you're being seen in the doctor's office, not at the hospital. Here's the pinch: Medicare refuses to pay the facility charge. My practice "eats" the charge but I don't know how longer that is going to happen.

 

[treeguy64]

Big medical groups are taking over many cities, now. In my town, you can't find a single specialist who is NOT in this one group. Because I strongly dislike the head of this group, after seeing him twice (he botched an operation on me, many, many years ago, which he then corrected), I cannot call another specialist without this jerk telling whomever I call that I'm HIS PATIENT! It drove me to madness, almost. I ended up driving an hour and a half to San Antonio to see a great guy who, lo and behold, had been partners with the guy I can't stand. Small world!

 

[terry123]

My doctor has a Quest lab in his clinic so I have no problem. Even though I live in Houston all my docs and the hospital are within 2 miles of me. It might change in time but right now in the Clear Lake area I don't have that problem.

 

[Knight]

The more I read about the various problems others have the luckier I feel. Our once a year checkup goes as smoothly as anyone could hope for. Our GP's office is about 4 miles from where we live. During our checkup his assistent writes up and has a print out for our lab work ready for us before we leave his office. One week before our next scehduled visit we go to the lab that is one floor below his office no appointment needed and if we go when the office opens, no hassle no, long wait. Life is good.

 

[Denise1952]

Things are pretty bad in my, small town. Our only General Surgeons are leaving the end of December, and I got it "only" for a consultation on the 5th. I need an endoscopy to see if my acid reflux I "did" have, caused any damage. I've half a mind (that's all I have) to just cancel, and totally bag it. I don't have any issues now since I dropped mainly tomato "items" and, I eat before 6. I also eat an apple for a snack in evening, but wait at least 3 hours before lying down.

Anyway, yes, I agree Fuzzy that I feel like a piece of meat, or like they just herd me through, and want to send me home with a 'script.

 

[oldman]

Yes, I know what you mean. After I saw a new doctor and got a scan he referred me to two other doctors. So they are going to poke and prod me and come up with something or another. I had gone to the Cleveland Clinic for my scan and the doctor then referred me to his agency of doctors. Doctors will always be in business and fighting over patients.

When I lived in Ohio, I went to the Cleveland Clinic for a disease that other doctors couldn't come up with a solution. Finally, at the CC I saw an endocrinologist. He ordered a few tests and found that I had Hypoglycemia. I have controlled it with my diet for over 50 years and rarely do I get an attack.