A doctor appointment today. I went into this armed with good information on my blood pressure, blood sugar, blood oxygen, A1C, a bunch of other numbers, and most significantly: the fact that there is no change in the "insignificant" number for my PSA. Really, all I needed was for him to re-up on my perscriptions and ask how I'm doing.
I was assigned this guy last year when my regular internist retired. He and I did not click from Day 1. I have Medicare and a good supplement - he was like a kid in a candy store, wanting to order every test imaginable. Well, after I had to wait an hour and a half in the waiting room, then another 45 minutes in the exam room. I finally had to say to him, "I don't need all those tests."
His response: "It costs you nothing - your insurance pays for all of this."
My response: "It costs the insurance company plenty, but most of all, these tests aren't necessary and are a waste of my time."
I really thought we had come to an understanding. For some reason, he has an obsession with me having a sleep apnea test. He also has me come back every 3 months, and runs more blood tests... which means I have to go there twice: once a week ahead of time for them to draw blood, then again for the actual appointment. All my tests and numbers are in the normal range.
When his nurse took my blood pressure and asked about refilling prescriptions, I told her I wanted a paper prescription and did NOT want to have them call in my prescriptions. She fought me on that: "We don't even have a prescription pad anymore - it's all electronic."
I said, "I guess I will have to go to a different doctor who can actually write a prescription."
She said, "I'll look around to see if we still have a pad somewhere, but the doctor is going to tell you the same thing."
"I will be telling him the same thing - if you can't do what I ask, I can go to another doctor."
Amazingly, they got me into the exam room right at my scheduled appointment time (first time ever with this doctor). Then, only 15 minutes to wait for him. I thought things were looking up. First thing out of his mouth was: "What is the problem with us calling in the prescription?"
I explained how none of my prescriptions are done (there are still refills to be had), but we travel and it is much easier for me to get the meds while traveling if I have a paper copy. He offered to give me a "paper copy" that is just a print out of the electronic version." It's a ******* copy, on copy paper. I tried to use that last time (when we had the same discussion) and Walgreens thought I was trying to do something illegal with that copy. "Are you shitting me? It's blood pressure medicine, not a controlled substance."
The doctor told me that they have never had an issue with a patient using one of those "copy machine" scrips... I told him otherwise. He told me that "it would take an extra 10 minutes to write those by hand - do you want me to inconvenience the next patient over this?"
"So, you're OK with inconveniencing me? I'll just go to a different doctor - this whole conversation is stupid."
He relented and said they'd do the paper prescriptions. Then listened to my heart and lungs. And said, "When was the last time you had an EKG done?"
"About 3 1/2 years ago, and it was normal."
He said, "We should really do an EKG today, then you can come back next week for those results."
"No."
He said, "What?"
I said, "I said 'no'... what I meant was 'Oh, hell no!"
Then he went into the "it costs you nothing" routine.
I stood up and said, "You and I are done. I'll go to a different doctor."
"No, no, no - I can tell you are upset. We can do the EKG in 3 months."
I said, "No, I won't be here in 3 months - that's why I need 6 months of meds, so I don't have to mess with this crap while we're traveling. And I DON'T NEED an EKG."
"When will you be back?"
"September, maybe October."
"I'll have the office manager set you up with an appointment in late September for a Medicare Wellness Checkup. You should be doing that annually."
I could tell he wasn't going to stop. On the bright side: I got the written prescriptions. On the even brighter side, he can take his late September appointment and shove it up... well, I will be polite and cancel it a couple weeks ahead of time. It's probably a good thing they didn't take my blood pressure while I waited for 10 minutes to get the actual written prescriptions.
Maybe this is how it is these days with doctor visits? Pretty sure they won't ask me to do a survey on this doctor visit... last time I got one of those, I gave him 2 stars out of 5... because of the bullshit I have to deal with, and the wasted time. I'm pretty sure they have doctors in Phoenix.
4 comments:
All doctors are not the same. That said, we are with an HMO, Kaiser Permanente. I know they bill Medicare for everything so there is money there for them by doing extra tests and procedures. But it seems they only do what is absolutely necessary. I am healthy so my exam goes like this once a year, "what are you here for". I tell him no problem just my yearly checkup. He says "You need bloodwork". Before travel they wanted me to do bloodwork 4 times a year, since travel, we are only home for one month a year, so hence they can only do it once a year. So he listens to me, my heart. Then he looks at the list of my medicines and asks me if I am taking them. Then he goes to Susan (we both see him together to save time). Her exam lasted longer because she has tons of medical problems and a list of medicine longer than your arm. She always tells him about every ache and pain she is having and how she is no longer like she was in her 20s because she thinks there is a pill for aging. The two of us are in the office for less than 30 minutes. They are very strict about staying on time, no waiting at all, we are called in at the exact appointment time, and he spends only 15 minutes per patient. It is all very efficient. Our downside is that we have never been able to keep the same doctor for more than 5 years. One of my doctors was confused about my blood numbers so he sent me to a blood specialist. I saw him for 5 years or so. He would say, "These numbers aren't great, but for you they are normal". Then he would question me at length about traveling in an RV as that is his retirement dream. After 5 years he said he didn't need to see me anymore it was a waste of time.
Yeah, I miss our previous doctor. He was thorough and efficient, listened, didn't lecture, and didn't order unnecessary tests. He is the one who got me in shape to get the hip replacement, and sent me to a urologist when my PSA numbers started a rapid climb.
It is very apparent that this new guy is all about stacking on the tests; it gives him a "legit" reason for having me come back so often. He didn't much like it when I said no to coming back in 3 months. Let me check... nope, I don't care what he likes.
I have a good doc again, but it took a while after my previous PCP retired. I've fired a couple before settling with this guy. I like his PA's even better when I need something on short notice and he can't fit me in. His attitude would drive me crazy too. He needs to make another payment on the new Mercedes.
The biggest constraint for a lot of folks is finding a new doc who accepts Medicare patients. I'm not quite there yet, but it is on the horizon.
Hi Earl. Finding a doctor who takes Medicare and a good suppliment hasn't been an issue for us... but, we generally don't go out looking for doctors. I will be "doctor shopping"... but not anytime soon.
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