Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was just looking through "new posts" and saw this. I work at a pediatricians' office, and we don't charge for filling out these forms. However, I sometimes think we should. It takes a lot of time to "just" fill these out, transfer information from another record, etc. Time IS money in a practice. Please note I am not talking about filling a form out when you are there for an appointment.
I can see how that is true, but I believe St.Maarten had completely filled out the forms b/f bringing them in - and just needed for someone to verify that yes, her kids had recently had well checks - and then sign the form. So I think what she was objecting to was paying for someone to simply sign a form.
Of course, the business side of me says - a physician's office should charge for copies and for any forms they have to fill out (to cover staff cost/time). But I think I would have a rule that you do one form per child as a freebie each year, simply for good patient/consumer relationships. And I would have a rule about charging for copies - but only after x amount of copies. Like - 5 pp free, then a charge after that.
But I think I would tell my staff that if a regular patient comes in w/ a completely filled out form - then that should be no charge.
Mary, we believe so strongly in tracking patient satisfaction, and letting physician offices know both our concerns and our satisfaction - that we write our docs offices to let them know what we considered outstanding, what member of the staff was especially helpful, etc.
You better believe we wrote, thanking not only the practice manager for rushing hubby in to see the PA - but also the PA for looking outside the box for a Dx.
And I can assure you, we wrote out the check the day the charges came for services, too. This has been an expensive health situation for us, but we were more than happy to reimburse this doc and his wonderful staff for their willingness to work us into their schedule - and provide excellent care in a timely fashion.
Yes, this was a case of a team of professionals working together to provide excellent healthcare services.
I can see how that is true, but I believe St.Maarten had completely filled out the forms b/f bringing them in - and just needed for someone to verify that yes, her kids had recently had well checks - and then sign the form. So I think what she was objecting to was paying for someone to simply sign a form.
Of course, the business side of me says - a physician's office should charge for copies and for any forms they have to fill out (to cover staff cost/time). But I think I would have a rule that you do one form per child as a freebie each year, simply for good patient/consumer relationships. And I would have a rule about charging for copies - but only after x amount of copies. Like - 5 pp free, then a charge after that.
But I think I would tell my staff that if a regular patient comes in w/ a completely filled out form - then that should be no charge.
A lot of our parents "completely" fill them out, too. We still have to: pull the chart, verify that the information is correct and make corrections if it is not (it usually isn't or else something is missing), stamp it with our stamp, put it on the dr's desk for signature, then call the parent(s) when it is ready. Sometimes we are asked to fax it, often including calling first to ask the parent(s) to turn on the fax, which can take several calls, or mail it which takes fillinig out an envelope and postage. This all should be worth at least $10. Sometimes we get several requests from the same family for the same kid for immunization records, which have to be signed by a health care professional to be considered valid (in this state anyway).
KId's first pediatrics didn't charge for camp forms last year, don't know if the policy has changed since DD isn't going to camp this year. Kids First Pediatrics
I'm sure you'd need to bring your kids in and switch to them though.
KId's first pediatrics didn't charge for camp forms last year, don't know if the policy has changed since DD isn't going to camp this year. Kids First Pediatrics
I'm sure you'd need to bring your kids in and switch to them though.
Thanks for the info, Joan!
I will check them out as well.
I wonder how much my current Pediatrician will charge me for having all of my children's files sent over...UGH! This is going to cost me too...
Thanks for the info, Joan!
I will check them out as well.
I wonder how much my current Pediatrician will charge me for having all of my children's files sent over...UGH! This is going to cost me too...
Should not charge you anything unless you ask for them to take yourself - then it is legal to charge for copying. The record belongs to the current practice but the information in it does not - it's a legal thing... I strongly suggest that you establish with a new practice and then have them send the request for records. That way, you are protected in that the old office has to get the record to your new peds. intact. If a page is missing,e.g., they are responsible. Before you do this....if you are satisfied with the practice and the care your children recieve, I would talk to the office manager first about this, or even your doc, before you pull out of the practice. In any case, and AFTER your records have been transferred, you should let the practice know of your disappointment.
In reply to the Emissary, it is just a question of business. No, doctors are not superior to teachers or vice versa as I have been there on both sides of the fence but doctors put in about 6-8 years more in school with much much more loans. in addition they have a shorter earning life span and in addition show me one teacher who gets sued for malpractice: mind you I am not a practicing doctor but am a teacher.Add to that the insurance companies and HMO's ;no wonder the health system is totally messed up. As for Anifani, we can always debate on an issue but are we honest enough to agree to the others point of view.
In reply to the Emissary, it is just a question of business. No, doctors are not superior to teachers or vice versa as I have been there on both sides of the fence but doctors put in about 6-8 years more in school with much much more loans. in addition they have a shorter earning life span and in addition show me one teacher who gets sued for malpractice: mind you I am not a practicing doctor but am a teacher.Add to that the insurance companies and HMO's ;no wonder the health system is totally messed up. As for Anifani, we can always debate on an issue but are we honest enough to agree to the others point of view.
I am sorry, Rusty. I see my name inserted here but I have no clue what you mean.
If you mean my statements about doc's salaries . . . my husband's PHD cost about $90,000 so I totally get what you mean about education costs and loans (in re: to the discussion about teachers and doctors and their salaries). So no, physicians are not the only profession that racks up costs (talk to attorneys about this, too) . . . but few professions get paid as much as physicians do, too. Not sure what you mean about them having a shorter work life? I know docs who retire early b/c they can afford to do it, but I also know docs who choose to work well into their 60s. Teachers can start in their early 20s and retire after 30 years in their early 50s. But there is no way you can possibly think teachers will have accrued even a portion of the money at retirement that physicians will. Surely????
Physicians can choose to practice in medically underserved areas of the country and receive grants that pay off at least a portion of their medical school debt. Many negotiate w/ their potential employer to receive loan repayment (full or partial) as part of their contract. And others got their medical training while serving in the Armed Forces.
It is true that some docs have left their field b/c of malpractice insurance, but those docs were typically delivering babies.
Many docs are actually employees of hospitals - they are not paying for their own practices. Some areas of medicine create real wealth - some don't. But I have yet to see a physician who was not more than fairly compensated - something I don't think we can say about many professions, w/ teachers being one of those fields.
Oh - and back to original topic . . . I think that helping patients w/ forms should be considered a "value added service" that physician practices are willing to give to their patients. Doing this once a year for each child isn't asking too much of staff. Staff are on the clock already; it's not like this is costing the practice to have staff spend some time helping the people who provide their salaries. I know it is easy to lose sight of - but a physician and his staff have jobs b/c people patronize them. Providing some customer service to the people who are paying the bills is a good thing.
We choose are profession and if there are loans that come with it then that is something one should consider...I don't think it should change the salary....insurance has ruined salaries and doctors. It isn't about a doctor/patient relationship anymore ...if it was appointments would be longer and more personable. I am not opposed to paying someone to fill out forms as I am sure it takes time and I am not the only one however I think the whole medical profession has gotten totally out of control.
Here's something to think about, I know the OP was about CAMP forms, but what about other forms? I have a daughter with multiple disabilities, she sees many specialists, has had many hospital admissions, follow up care from the ped for some of this, they do get records sent to them all the time. There is added paperwork from the school, as well as her CAP waiver program. Should they be allowed to charge me for doing all this? I think not, however, there should be a way for doctors and their offices to be more fairly compensated for patients where there is a higher than "normal" volume of paperwork required; through the insurance companies, as it could be considered a quality of care issue. The ped office last year caught a case of pretty severe anemia on records that were sent in from another doc, called me asking if my daughter was ok or was acting funny (like passing out!).
interesting article on cost and healthcare: Annals of Medicine: The Cost Conundrum: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
