yes, i'll take a number 2 and a number 3 to go please......!!!!!

[Granted Fal]

How many of you have had this experience or witnessed it while nursing?

Take a child or loved one to the physician ( of course they are ill)and the physician could have ordered tests you felt were necessary but they don't. Inevitably, the family returns and goes through the process again, and again sometimes getting quite frustrated.

I know in the past i've actually gone in with my wife before and just basically told the NP or MD what i want and usually they'll do it. However, had i not requested the services necessary or at least i felt were necessary, given the need of a physician to write a referral or script, i'd be back into the MD's office same as these other frustrated clients.

I mean what is this, self-serve-fast-food medicine, or what?

any similar experiences ???

[emily_mom]

Some docs are just so anti-antibiotics...

I took my daughter into urgent care b/c she had a sinus and ear infection and was due to have surgery in 5 days to remove her adenoids and tonsils. The doc I saw (thank God he's gone now) said that it would clear up on it's own. He said he had the same thing and it took 6 weeks, but it went away. Excuse me? For one, she was 3 years old at the time. You want my little girl to have to deal with that for up to 6 weeks? Secondly, she was having surgery and obviously couldn't have it if she wasn't treated. We got into an argument, and of course he won. The next day, I called my regular PA and he called in a script for me. Jerk...never went back there again.....

And you wonder why health care is so expensive. When you have to have two appointments to treat one problem...where's the cost management in that???

Kristy

[andrewsgranny, ASN, RN]

Yes, some Dr's are ATB. freaks. and some dont want to give them at all. In our clinic we have alot of people with C/O allergies and think they have to have ATB's to get better. No S/S of infection,just have to have the ATB. Its usually the older population who just HAVE to have ATB.'s

And yes I have seen people come in and tell the DR. what they want and they get it (within reason)

And my Dr. will have ME refuse a telephone request for a pain rx.

so I do, and the pt. "will say well give me an appt. and I'll get my DCN. and they do." He cant tell them NO to their face.

Same thing with a work excuse. Its not because he wants to see them to build up his income, its cause he really dont want to do it, but cant say no.

Sometimes I get upset with this means of healthcare and really do wanna say "Would you like fries with that?"

[oramar]

My mom was not herself. Took her to her old family doctor who found ear infection and treated it. He would not listen to my complaints that something else was wrong. Said the ear infection explained everything. Got new doctor who did blood work. Turns out she had sever prenicious anemia. Has been on B12 shots ever since. What a difference we see in her. That is my complaint, it they find one thing wrong they stop right there.

[Sleepyeyes]

I had this one doc who couldn't get ANYTHING done in just one visit.

Of course, I had co-pays for each visit. More $ in his pocket.

I got rid of him fast. It was annoying to have to be sick for over a month when it could've been taken care of in three days.

[flowerchild]

Similarly, I have noticed that when I called a doc 20 years ago for a problem, I could speak to the nurse and she would tell me weather or not I needed to come in to see the doc. No, you don't need to come in, there is a viral infection going around and you have all the s/s, stay home, get rest, drink fluids, and if you don't get better in a couple of days or if it gets worse, call back.

Now, anytime I call the doc with a question or to see if I need to come in, the answer is always to make an appointment. It is rare to get past the girls at the front desk, they just make the appointment. Nowdays, I usually know when I or my kids need to come in or not and if I have a question, I research it myself. It's the ol' Self Service deal more and more ofen these days otherwise I'd be broke from paying all those copays.

Recent examples, waiting a couple of weeks after I begin to have a cough r/t URI b/c the docs won't tx it w/ ab any sooner. Waiting 2 days after my kids get a sore throat b/c a strep test usually won't test pos during the first 48 hours and w/o a pos. test the doc won't order ab, even though the entire PK has strep.

On Friday, the ped ordered ab for one of my twins at twice the dose as the other one was ordered two days before, I didn't realize it until after hours and my doc had another group on call. THe ans serv said a nurse would call me. Well, I decided to find out for myself if there was a reason for this difference in dose. After looking it up, I realized that the doses were correct for the different dg. I can't imagine what a headache it must be for people who do not have a medical background.