Trust in medical profession?

I trust my doctor very much, but it took some time to find him. Like every profession on earth there are some that are good at it and some that are bad, if you don't like or trust your doctor find a new one. My doctors office also started using a geriatriction two years ago and she does my yearly physical, I like her as much as my doctor.
 
In the US, the profit factor is important to large medical care corporations. Today, most doctors & nurses are employees. Plus, everybody and his grandmother sue. That drives up the cost of medical care, and creates a system of care designed to be lawsuit avoidable, not efficient. I worked in hospitals most of my life, and yeah, I got a paycheck. I don't think I met anyone, who was solely there for a paycheck.
 
VintageBetter said:
You can get nasal sprays for sinus trouble. I think you need to request a new ENT. There are OTC sprays too, like Flonase. But don't start using those without medical guidance because who knows? Might cause more irritation?
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Yes, sprays are available. A new ENT is not. And the only other pulmonologist, who was good, left the area. Also, already went the Flonase route. All that did was give me nosebleeds.
 
No I don't trust my doctors to care about me. I do expect and hope they will listen to me and get me what I need. I can't ask for more than that I guess.

I have a follow up Tuesday with the doctor who did my carpel tunnel surgery over 2 years ago and injected my other hand about 6 weeks ago. It's still doing well but I'm afraid the pain and weakness will come back. I'll see what he says. He is very, very nice.

Juniper has a veterinarian appt. with the newer vet this Thursday. I'm more worried about that.
 
Fyrefox said:
I find that physicians tend not to listen adequately to the patient’s concerns, but rather pursue their own agenda, and have their own orientations and biases, which are often reductionistic rather than holistic.
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When a patient sees a doctor the patient's perspective is they hope to be cured of what ails them. As the doctor sees it he is only seeing a patient for treatment not a cure.
 
Lewkat said:
My primary care physician is a former R.N. She became an Osteopathic Physician, and we get along famously. She is brilliant and listens to everything you say. She respects the fact that I too was an R.N. and we speak the same language. My Pulmonologist, Orthopedist and Sports Medicine doctors, while allopathic physicians, do listen, and we generally agree on each course of treatment.

Yes, I trust my medical professionals.
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By my experience in life I have found that individuals who work in a similar profession or trade treat one another through what is known as 'professional courtesy'. While those they encounter who are outside their profession they treat very differently. For example, a plumber fixes and then charges very differently a fellow plumber's fixture than he does a customer who has chosen him out of the phone book. Medical professionals do the same for one another, but treat patients who are not from within the profession quite differently.
 
dilettante said:
There is no perfect way for any system to self-regulate against their inherent pitfalls. We each end up with a core system based on a given philosophy and then hope to moderate the rough edges and traps through government regulation. As soon as politicians get involved though another whole dimension for neglect and abuse can open up, especially when oversight interferes with or advances political agendas.
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Well said and i genuinely agree. But, brings up the point, I think, that government oversight should not be left to be blindly trusted. Rather the process should be open to view for all with consequences to those who fail their trusted positions. They should not be given untouchable, lifetime secure positions. There should be real penalties on them for failing their duties.
 
The system here has worked well for me. Two years ago, I had a lump on my neck. My family doctor immediately requisitioned scans & tests. Situation was identified as a squamous-cell carcinoma. I drove to a hospital, several hours away, where (within a reasonably short span of days after the original scans) I'd been scheduled for the more-precise PET scan.

A few days after that, I had a phone consultation with one of our province's most state-of-the-art cancer surgeons, who had studied my tests & scan results. He decided surgery wasn't the best option, got me signed up for seven weeks of treatment at a clinic, and I was soon getting that treatment.

I'm like almost everybody in Canada, in that I'm registered in one of the government-sponsored provincial medical plans. Clearly in my part of Canada, at least, the system fast-tracks cancer treatment. Without going into any details, I'll just say my treatment was successful.
 
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I trust my gp but don't like him. He gave me 2 incorrect diagnosis. He tried to get me to go to about 20 specialists. He had his team continually contacting me on both phones, email, text. I told him to stop. I had felt harassed already. I want to find another doctor .
 
VintageBetter said:
In the States, if someone is on Medicaid (the government insurance plan for lowest income people), they are not allowed to go out of the county of their residence to seek care. E.g., if you live in Alameda County but you want to see doctors in San Mateo County and have your own transportation there, Medicaid will not allow that. WHY? Why is that a policy? IMO, it's a way to take rights away from the poor.

It can take three to four months to see a specialist here, regardless of your insurance, unless it is an E.R. worthy emergency. However, if you are in pain and you have a compassionate doctor, they will get you in for a test pretty quick to see what the pain is. Many pains can mean serious stuff. And of course, serous pain is also a good reason for an ER visit.
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here you can and often do wait a year or more to see a specialist... then they refer you onto someone else who will have an equally long waiting list....
 
JBR said:
Holly, how do you interpret the situation? I mean, in your knowledge, was the situation different 10 or 15 years ago?What factors seem to produce these long lags now?
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yes very different even 5 years ago... uncontrolled immigration is the major problem..lack of hospitals, schools, ..more and more housing being built but without the infrastructure to support it...
 
My insurance is with Kaiser-Permanente, a not-for-profit organization. All my records are in one place where all my visits and with whom are on display for all doctors. Whenever I'm referred to one or another, that doc can see what's been/being done.

Yes. I trust my doc(s). There's definitely an advantage to being a "Kaiser captive" because I don't have to be concerned about whether they're aware of my medical records/procedures/prescriptions.

Sorry. It might be fashionable to complain, but I have no reason to.
 
I echo @Georgiagranny. Like her, I belong to Kaiser Permanente and have no complaints. I see my GP every year for a full checkup. He listens to what I have to say. and responds helpfully as do any other doctors I see.

My docs are board certified, ask questions and listen to what I have to say. My local medical group is H-U-G-E with a large hospital on the campus. I'd guess there are well over a hundred docs, all told. If I don't like a GP or specialist, I choose another or get a second opinion, no questions asked.

I didn't like something my previous GP did so DH asked his back doctor to recommend a GP, and we've been seeing this GP ever since.
 
I trusted my Paediatrician until my 12th birthday. Unfortunately, he moved away. I had the most wonderful clinician, she was a jack-of-all-trades. A blend of GP, dietician, holistic and homeopathic with emphasis on natural remedies.

It lasted 5 years, once again she moved away. My biggest help and trusted GP was my OB/GYN for the birth of my two munchkins.

Overall, I'm always visiting in an emergency situation. Therefore, every A&E (Accident and Emergency department) or ER (Emergency Room) the services always outstanding.

Due to a situation outwith myself, I haven't been able to register with a GP since 2012. Nowadays and recently, I've required the A&E and out-of-hours services. Which were amazing once more.

Apparently, due to an influx of people in our area, it's impossible to get a GP as no one is taking new patients. However, I've reached a service via phone that'll fix the situation. I've medical conditions which needs attention as soon as possible but I'm coping with natural remedies for now.

It's the busiest season just now, so I'm waiting a bit longer to get all of it resolved when It'll be quieter.
 
If we paid for Private Medical Insurance here we can get to see a Doctor almost immediately.

However PMI is very expensive, and doesn't cover a lot of conditions.....that said it doesn't pay ( excuse the pun ) to use PMI to see a GP.. because a prescription from a GP using Private insurance costs ÂŁ20 per drug (item)... and btw he's the same NHS GP as we'd see without PMI... but waiting a few weeks to see him, means we don't pay for medication which is free for over 60's or unemployed.. so when someone needs several drugs at a time, it would be crazy to use PMI to see a GP.. unless it's a problem that can't wait.



I had PMI up until O/H left 2 years ago on a joint policy and then he withdrew it ...

PMI here is at it's most useful when the patient needs an X-ray..and MRI or CT scan.. those things have waiting lists up to a year... and then things like knee Ops..or even a simple steroid injection would be best served by PMI rather than the NHS waiting lists..
 

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