Duke primary care/urgent care - are they too big for their own good? (neighborhood, allergies)

[livesintriangle]

I've had billing issues in the past with my Duke primary care doctor which nearly made me leave their system altogether. I needed to see someone about my cold today, but my new primary care doctor wasn't available, so I went to urgent care, which costs more. But I thought I had bronchitis so I thought I should go.

It turned out that I only got to see a physician's assistant instead. That made me mad because I paid more than I normally would have and didn't even see a doctor. If I had known I wouldn't have even gone there in the first place. She seemed to know a lot and is probably a really good PA, but I thought I was going to see the DOCTOR. Not an assistant to the doctor.

It's almost like you're better off going to a neighborhood doctor who maybe doesn't have the reputation of Duke but at least everyone is in the same office and not spread out all over in different departments.

[lovebrentwood]

I'll never go to a P.A. again if I can help it.

One recently asked about drug allergies. I told her about one that would most likely kill me if I took it again because the reaction had been anaphylactic shock. I gave her the generic name.

No sooner did the words come out of my mouth that she told she was going to have the doctor prescribe me the same drug (but she called it by its brand name). I said, "Isn't that the same as the generic (and I told her the name)?" And she said YES, and SMILED.

She must have zoned out during the three sentences I spoke.

Lack of listening skills can kill.

When it comes to life/death issues, it's one strike, and she's out. (And there was no medical reason for the drug, either, and it had little to do with what I was there for!)

I haven't had any similar experiences with doctors.

[CHTransplant]

I don't see anything wrong with PAs handling minor patient walk-ins like cold, flu, bronchitis. But if that's not for you wait for an appointment with the doctor or go elsewhere.

[livesintriangle]

How horrible. You could have died.

This PA told me she didn't think I had bronchitis. Then the nurse came in with my discharge info - diagnosis code: bronchitis.

I did not know I was going to see a PA and now I will never go there again.

[livesintriangle]

Originally Posted by CHTransplant

I don't see anything wrong with PAs handling minor patient walk-ins like cold, flu, bronchitis. But if that's not for you wait for an appointment with the doctor or go elsewhere.

If they're qualified that's fine but you should at least know up front that you won't be seeing a doctor. I'm not ok with it personally, so I would have gone elsewhere. If I'm going to the doctor, I'm going to the doctor. I have no idea of what training PAs have but they are not MDs.

[CHTransplant]

Originally Posted by livesintriangle

If they're qualified that's fine but you should at least know up front that you won't be seeing a doctor.

I agree. the offices I've gone to that have PA have always offered that as a quicker option when making the appointment - never forced it on me.

[lovebrentwood]

That all being said, I know there ARE good PA's -- the one I'm thinking of has about 20 years of experience. I would go to him for most issues.

But I won't go to ones with less experience.

[livesintriangle]

I will say that the PA I saw today seemed extremely knowledgeable. She was very, very good. I left confused about my diagnosis (she wrote bronchitis on the paper but specifically told me she thinks I don't have it), but I do want to say that if I hadn't seen her title on her white jacket I wouldn't have known she wasn't an MD.

[10.7mOTB]

Isn't this just a consumer complaint?

[livesintriangle]

Originally Posted by 10.7mOTB

Isn't this just a consumer complaint?

No, CharOOPS 10.7 minutes from somewhere - it impacts enough people who use Duke's medical services that it is worthy of discussion in this forum. Duke employees and many area residents use the facilities. Nice try, though.