A Rant on Healthcare

Perhaps you’ve noticed a theme of late in my writing. I promise, it won’t last forever. Or, gosh, I just really hope it won’t.

As hubby says, “I’m not ranting, I’m philosophizing”. Okay, dear.

So here is my philosophizing for the day.

I went to the doctor this afternoon for a sick visit. I go to a practice of 6 doctors. My hubby has a different doctor than I do. Well, he did before I left the house today, anyway. So I am scheduled with the same doctor I have seen once before, a doctor that by a stroke of misfortune on my part was the only doctor available when I called to set myself up with a primary doctor last month. Little did I know then the office’s policy of not letting you switch doctors once you’ve seen one.

I am getting ahead of myself. I called yesterday (Sunday) morning to the on-call line because I was sick. In pain. Wanted to know what they thought. Hubby’s doctor was the on-call doctor and told me that he didn’t think what I was describing was strep, but he thought it might be mono because that has been going around. I should call in the morning (today) and make an appointment to see my doctor, get a strep test to rule that out and then if it’s not strep, be tested for mono. Fine. Great. Wonderful. I’ll do that.

So, I did. I called and got myself in to see my doctor this afternoon. The doctor walked into the room, didn’t look at me, didn’t say hello, just said “what’s wrong? oh, I see on your chart. You have a sore throat. Okay, when did it start.” Me: “Wednesday. Thursday, Friday, Saturday I had fever, chills, bodyaches, and swollen glands. The fever, chills and bodyaches are gone but my throat still hurts and my glands are still swollen.” Him: “Okay, well, based on your age and your symptoms, you probably have strep. I’ll write you a prescription for Zithromax to clear it up.” After writing the script, he stood about 3 feet from me with a flashlight to pretend he was actually looking at the part of my body that I was there to have examined. Listened to my chest once. Walked out the door. Done.

HUH?!

Maybe I’m crazy. Maybe I expect too much, but I was baffled. I just got prescribed an antibiotic for strep and he didn’t even test me for it to see if I have it. Is this all they think people want when they walk into an office now? Just give me a drug and I’ll be on my way? I don’t want to pay $35 copays just to have a doctor spend 3 minutes with me and not examine me and then expect me to go drop more money on drugs I don’t need. I walked out to the checkout desk and stood there waiting for someone. A woman came to check me out and I quietly asked if I could switch doctors for next time I have to come. That’s when I learned that clever little policy of if you want to switch doctors, you have to leave the practice entirely. Okay, whatever. I walked out.

I was about 3 feet out the front door walking down the sidewalk when I grabbed my daughter’s hand and said. “No. Wait. We’re going back in there.” I marched my defiant self back to the reception desk and explained (kindly) that I had been told by Doctor Z the day before that I would be tested for strep and if not that, for mono, and I was tested for neither. She replied “well, he did a strep swab, right?” “NO! No he did not.” She went and found the nurse administrator in charge lady (who I was gladly 2 feet taller than at that moment – made me feel all powerful and bossy when I was mad). They shuffled me into a private room probably afraid I might explode and embarrass them in front of the unsuspecting patients waiting in the waiting room.

I explained how my appointment went down and asked if I could get a strep test to actually determine that I have what they are medicating me for. I am not against medication, don’t get me wrong. I don’t pop pills like crazy, but I think they have their place and there are times they are necessary. I have taken my fair share of over the counter and prescription meds the past month, but I like to know there is a NEED for them before I just blindly take something. My husband takes depression medication everyday. If I need medicine for myself or my family to be healthier and happier, great. I am not going to adamantly stand by refusing meds just because I want to. I just want what I am taking to be needed.

The woman got very defensive and then…THEN. You’ll never guess what she said.

“I will have someone come give you a strep test, but I will tell you now that if it comes back negative, I am going to take your prescription away from you!” She was nasty, thought she was being mean and menacing. Oh no! Please don’t take away the antibiotics that my body doesn’t need anyway! I’m shaking! </end sarcasm>. I politely said that it’s not the medicine I am concerned with, it’s getting a correct diagnosis so that I am treating what is actually wrong with me.

She sent someone in to test me. It came back negative for strep. Ha ha mean and menacing lady!

It gets better though, as she then informed me to keep my prescription, the treatment is the same. Treatment? For what? WHAT are you treating is what I would like to know! I asked for a mono test and she informed me that just because one doctor says that to me on the phone doesn’t mean that a doctor who sees me agrees and that it was his decision not to test for it. Okay, whatever, fine. I’ll go home now.

But first I’d like to know if I can switch doctors. It was then I was told I was being unreasonable and that she didn’t even understand what my problem with my visit was in the first place and that they only grant changes for good reason. “I’m a paying customer. I’m unhappy. That’s a good reason!” Then I left.

Two minutes after I walked in the door of my house I got a call from the friendly Doctor Z’s nurse thanking me for wanting to switch to Doctor Z and he would be happy to have me as a new patient. Yay! A minor victory!

I still don’t know what’s wrong with me, health-wise. I do know that philosophizing all afternoon about it outloud seemed to make my throat feel better. Maybe that’s all I needed. A good swift kick in the rear to jolt me out of my complacency and get me philosophizing again.