I saw the surgeon today! And wow. Did he give me some good drugs or what.
No, wait. That's not how I meant to start this.
But yeah! Give it up for doctors who do give sufficient pain medication.
Also: I have to say this was the best clinic experience I've ever had.
Listen to this: I walked in there with a 9:00 a.m. appointment and, bitches, not only was I back with doctor by 9:00 a.m., I had already -- by then -- had an X-Ray done, talked to two nurses, and been whisked through receiving and insurance. I mean, yowza.
Every step of the way, also, each nurse and tech led me directly to the next step; and each one was very kind about doing so. And when I got to the examination room, the tech that led me there brought up the X-Rays I had done (about three minutes before) on the computer in that examine room. It was like medicine as art, I have to say.
Or, you know, like seeing medicine done the way it ought to be done in the 21st century.
Then the surgeon appeared, maybe three minutes after the nurse had left me, and talked to me about being an English professor, and then he showed me the X-Rays and told me what they might mean, and what they might not, and then he outlined what we could do, and then he asked what I wanted to do.
Then he scheduled an arthroscopy --what we decided to do -- for (get this) six days from now.
And told me he'd call in script for pain meds, no problem.
I left the clinic thinking I must have fallen into a alternate universe.
This can't be American medicine?
8 comments:
I know there's all kinds of stereotypes about surgeons not seeing patients as real people, but my experience with a surgeon last year was a lot like yours (only I had to wait a little). I was amazed at how fast I moved from consultation to surgery, how kind the surgeon was, that I was treated like an intelligent adult who can handle medical terminology and understand test results, that I was treated as if I had actual pain and was not an addict, and the surgeon's attention during recovery, not to mention the helpfulness and attention of the staff in moving from one section of the hospital to the next.
It's like you've been given $200 for passing "Go"--you have braved the bureaucracy of general medicine and are rewarded with actual working healthcare.
Oh, and yay for surgery and meds! I'm so glad you're finally able to get some help for your shoulder.
I was wondering about that -- if it was the difference between PCP and Specialist.
But why would that be? The Specialist is seeing the same sorts of people (I would think) at the same rate as the Primary Care Physician. Why would the PCP not be able to be as efficient and as decent towards his/her patients as the Specialist?
Is it just because the Specialist gets paid more?
Throwing more money at it *is* the answer?
Likely the better service is unique to that particular MD. Although a specialist's office operations can be a bit more regimented since only a few types of procedures are being performed.
Whatever -Yay for you getting some help! Aside, don't stay in the stratosphere too long. High altitudes expose one to a lot more radiation than reaches the ground (grin).
What a relief. Very glad to hear it!
The PCP turnover at my HMO is crazy. I get a new doc every year (most have been great--well, the women have been great). I think PCPs may get treated like crap by the HMO, or adult medicine may be holding cell for docs waiting for a spot in their specialty at my place. I have seen several newly minted docs here. I also think specialists probably don't have the overflow and backlog that can happen in a general med office.
It's high turnover at my clinic too, Tree. The doc I liked best there (who left 2 years ago) said they were paying her well enough, but that they wanted her to do the work of 3 people.
Of the three physicians I have liked there (all women!), one left to start her own practice, one left to be an ER doc, and one left to move to Portland with her husband. That one was staying in PCP medicine, as far as I knew.
In RELATED news, I just got my letter from the university, about the Pre-School bullshit, I mean conference days. Now I'm wondering if I can POSSIBLY schedule my surgery to coincide with my Very Useful Pre-School Conference Days.
Inquiring Minds Want to Know.
Good news! I hope you're getting a pain vacation. -L
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