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'm going to preface this by saying hubby and I have been lucky, health-wise, and our first experience with anyone in the medical profession here in Littleton was this week. Hubby screwed up his knee pretty bad and had to see an orthopedic surgeon.
The surgeon impressed me greatly (and believe me, it takes a LOT for a doctor to impress me)...anyway, after looking at x-rays and examing the knee he put forth three options - after giving the options, actually showing us the x-rays and pointing out the problem area, he said, and this is what blew me away - "I work for you - you tell me which option you want to go with."
I just about fell off my chair. I have worked around and with doctors for many years (always in another state) and whenever I've dealt with them, either in a work capacity or as a patient, the majority have always had the "listen to me, I know best" mind-set or whatever....especially those in the specialty fields. I have NEVER had one say, "I work for you" - It was so refreshing to hear that. Not only that, but he didn't make us feel rushed, even though the waiting room had quite a few patients in it.
I've had some dental problems and the dentist I picked is also this way, very empathetic, lays out the plans and leaves it up to me, takes all the time with me that I need, I never feel like he's rushing me.
Is this the "norm" for NH doctors and dentists or did we just happen to "get lucky" with the ones we picked...or is it a "regional thing" - Northern NH vs Southern NH?
You lucked out big time!!! HOLD on to this Doctor, don't let him goooo!!!! I'm serious!!!! My mother had a doctors appointment just this past week and guess what was typed up on a piece of paper for her before she went in to see him. It said "You Can Only Ask The Doctor One Question He's Very Busy And Has A Lot Of Patients." Do you believe it? I told my mother to get rid of this PCP but she won't because she said once you see him he's "good" and she doesn't want to lose that repoire she has with him. I'd chuck him SO fast your head would spin!
We're in southern NH and this health care facility that this happened in was up in Portsmouth @ Martin's Point. The Doctor IS very busy these days because some of the others are either gone now or went in to another field completely. For instance, there was this Doctor up there that even I went to and he went in to "plastic surgery" and got out of the PCP type of work. So this Doctor my mother has now handles all of this ones patients. So yes, he IS very very busy now and that's what the problem and issue is in quite a lot of facilities like this.
I changed health care providers all together and mine now isn't even in New Hampshire, it's down in Peabody, MA. and the facility is the same exact way as Portsmouths. Extremely busy, yet the caliber of physicians and staff I liked much better than in southern NH. So I'm keeping them. If I were you? I'd hold on to that Doctor tight, don't let him go away!!!! YES you lucked out finding that one, good for you!!!!!
This has always been my experience with everywhere, not just in NH. I think in the pre HMO days (the "good old days") it was different, but medical care has been changing with patients wanting to participate more and more in decisions about their care. I believe it's a good thing to be able to manage one's own medical care, providing one has excellent input and advice on the implications of each course of action - and providing one knows all the right questions to ask!
Citygirl, if this doctor is in his own private practice I'd tell him what his staff said and see what his response is. And if he's merely an employee of a bigger operation, I'd report that to whatever medical parent corp runs that office. Actually, I personally wouldn't even bother with that. That's outrageous.
I'd make sure I found another doctor for my mother.
You lucked out big time!!! HOLD on to this Doctor, don't let him goooo!!!! I'm serious!!!! My mother had a doctors appointment just this past week and guess what was typed up on a piece of paper for her before she went in to see him. It said "You Can Only Ask The Doctor One Question He's Very Busy And Has A Lot Of Patients." Do you believe it? I told my mother to get rid of this PCP but she won't because she said once you see him he's "good" and she doesn't want to lose that repoire she has with him. I'd chuck him SO fast your head would spin!
We're in southern NH and this health care facility that this happened in was up in Portsmouth @ Martin's Point. The Doctor IS very busy these days because some of the others are either gone now or went in to another field completely. For instance, there was this Doctor up there that even I went to and he went in to "plastic surgery" and got out of the PCP type of work. So this Doctor my mother has now handles all of this ones patients. So yes, he IS very very busy now and that's what the problem and issue is in quite a lot of facilities like this.
I changed health care providers all together and mine now isn't even in New Hampshire, it's down in Peabody, MA. and the facility is the same exact way as Portsmouths. Extremely busy, yet the caliber of physicians and staff I liked much better than in southern NH. So I'm keeping them. If I were you? I'd hold on to that Doctor tight, don't let him go away!!!! YES you lucked out finding that one, good for you!!!!!
CityGirl - Oh you better believe we intend on keeping both the orthopedist and the dentist! <g> Your mom's doctor sounds like most of the docs I've encountered....And like you, I would "fire" him....I just was so floored by the orthos statement of "I work for you", I guess I'm still in shock.
This has always been my experience with everywhere, not just in NH. I think in the pre HMO days (the "good old days") it was different, but medical care has been changing with patients wanting to participate more and more in decisions about their care. I believe it's a good thing to be able to manage one's own medical care, providing one has excellent input and advice on the implications of each course of action - and providing one knows all the right questions to ask!
Citygirl, if this doctor is in his own private practice I'd tell him what his staff said and see what his response is. And if he's merely an employee of a bigger operation, I'd report that to whatever medical parent corp runs that office. Actually, I personally wouldn't even bother with that. That's outrageous.
I'd make sure I found another doctor for my mother.
Southward bound - I remember the good old days, pre-HMOs....Fondly! I'm fortunate in that I have worked in the medical field for years. Many years ago I worked as a nursing assistant and had doctors who would answer any and all questions I had regarding treatment of various illnesses/conditions. From there I worked in the laboratory at a hospital and again, had numerous people who would explain laboratory tests, what they meant, how to interpret results, etc. I then worked for a pathologist and learned how do recognize a bunch of things, sat in on autopsies, got to see "innards" and how everything was "connected", etc. From there I did medical audits and learned a lot from docs that way. I also worked for a homeopathic physician for awhile, so learned a bit about that as well. I finally ended up doing medical transcription and learning the new procedures, meds, etc., new treatments, so I'm pretty confident when it comes to asking the right questions and making decisions, and I don't care if I "offend" a doctor by asking a bunch of questions regarding their education/background/expertise, etc....
It's always been my feeling that the doctor is working for me and I have the right to interview them just as I would any "employee" (some get highly offended, others are very good about it and understand where I'm coming from, but they are rare). As I said above, I guess I was just so shocked to have a doctor say what I've always thought, it just blew me away.
My pet peeve is docs who double and triple book appointments so you have to sit in a waiting room forever. I can understand a back-up in appointments if there was an emergency that had to be taken care of - in that case, I don't get ticked, but if it's just too many patients in too little time, then I get ticked. Many times, with my parents, if they were just in for a checkup and we'd get to the appointment and sit in the waiting room, only to find out there were 2 or 3 other people with the same appointment time, we would reschedule their appointment and leave. I got so ticked off at one doctor I actually billed him for my time in the waiting room, telling him I also worked and my time was just as valuable as his....Oddly enough, he actually sent me a check for what I had billed him and we never had to wait more than 15 minutes at an appointment again
You're right, so I just sent off a long letter about this notice they have to the facility and sent it right up the ladder to their higher ups in the organization. So we'll see what happens, I'm still reeling mad about it, even when I think of it even happening in this day and age! Trust me, after what I sent? They'll be flying out to that front desk ripping up those notices to the patients, I guarantee it. If not, they have serious issues.
CityGirl - Let us know what happens after the letter you sent - It will be interesting to see what they have to say...if anything...If they don't reply to you, then it will be interesting to see if the "notice" is still there in the doc's office.
There's one "medical company" (HMO) that compensates docs based on how many patients they see in a day, or at least there was in NY and I belive there is one in California, also.....wonder if this doc is affiliated with them...
You're right, so I just sent off a long letter about this notice they have to the facility and sent it right up the ladder to their higher ups in the organization. So we'll see what happens, I'm still reeling mad about it, even when I think of it even happening in this day and age! Trust me, after what I sent? They'll be flying out to that front desk ripping up those notices to the patients, I guarantee it. If not, they have serious issues.
Too right you're mad. The front office often devalues patients terribly, but I've never heard of this. I'd remind them that you and your insurance are paying a considerable sum for a CONSULTATION - not ONE question.
I'm going to preface this by saying hubby and I have been lucky, health-wise, and our first experience with anyone in the medical profession here in Littleton was this week. Hubby screwed up his knee pretty bad and had to see an orthopedic surgeon.
Wow, Windchime! what a gem you found -I wish Littleton wasn't so far away from New Ipswich (but then, he'd probably be retired by when I'll probably need him). That's so unusual - for anywhere.
Sorry to hear your hubby messed up his knee. I can sympathise: I'm having both knees replaced next Tuesday morning If you ever need a forum for asking any questions about knee issues, or even just a place where he can vent to people who don't live with him and who understand it all, you might check out <http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/> it's a great forum for anything whatever to do with knees, and sometimes just to be silly.
Well i agree to only be able to ask one question is pushing the limits. I am a medical assistant and have worked all parts of the office both private practice and Government assisted facilities (front dest, medical records, back office, billing, referrals and oh yes collections) and i worked for a doctor who owned an office and he paid the other doctors who worked for him by the # of patients they saw each day and they were required to see a certain number in the month to recieve a bonus though one of the doctors did take their time if the patient needed it and could care less about the bonus, some of them blew threw the patients as fast as they could for the bonus. Now don't blame the front office staff for double booking. Often they have to follow the doctors orders too and if the doctor tells you to double book his schedule, you have to do what he says or risk losing your job. I'll be first to say the front office job (though it looks easy to the patients coming in) is the hardest and most stressful job in the office. Also, many offices are not required to file your insurance. They can easily give you reciepts and copies of your check out slip and make your life miserable by having you file your own claims and waiting forever to get reimbursed but to make the patients happy and keep them coming back, most offices file the claims for you as a courtesy. I worked in one office where filing secondary insurances took more time than the payment was worth so we quite filing secondary insurances and provided the patients with the paperwork to do it themselves. Often times secondary insurance payments were only a few dollars and it takes quite a bit of work to file secondary insurance because of all the paperwork required to submit with it. It's all much more involved than it seems to the outsider who is not familiar with billing processes. Some of the medical clinics in northern N.H. particularly Berlin have the doctors from Hanover hospital come up once a month for clinics. You may also want to check that out if you need a specialist now and then. I had open heart surgery in Hanover when i was 4 years old (28 years ago.. wow and i'm still kicking it)and i remember going to the monthly clinics in town so we didn't have to drive the 2 hours to Hanover and the doctors traveled with their own staff and were all great.
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.
He's a keeper!
If you ever need a forum for asking any questions about knee issues, or even just a place where he can vent to people who don't live with him and who understand it all, you might check out <http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/> it's a great forum for anything whatever to do with knees, and sometimes just to be silly.
