Posted on 08/13/2013 9:34:19 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
(CBS News) Would you share your doctor's appointment with a stranger? Some people are, opting for a group visit with their physician.
It's a way for patients to get more face-time with their doctor -- sometimes as much as an hour or two -- but the time is shared with other people, Dr. Devi Nampiaparampil, an assistant professor at the New York University School of Medicine, explained on "CBS This Morning."
A growing number of physicians are offering the option. Since 2005, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, the number of physicians offering group visits has doubled.
The effort, Nampiaparampil explained, has been fueled by frustration with the current health system, in particular, the often weeks' wait for a time slot and limited face-time with the physician during a private appointment.
She said, "The idea here is, that with a group visit, you may have more face-to-face time with the doctor...but you just have to share that time with other people, so you all get to ask your questions and get more information in a group setting."
But what about privacy? Nampiaparampil, who has herself implemented group appointments, said doctors try to emphasize participants' privacy. She also pointed out, group appointments are appropriate for chronic, but stable conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure -- and not something like a drug or alcohol abuse problem.
One of the benefits of a group appointment, according to Nampiaparampil, is the collaborative experience "especially for patients who are a little bit quiet or think of questions later after they go home."
She said, "The group setting is nice because other people may ask questions. They can get information in that setting and think of things that they might not otherwise ask about. And they might get support from other people."
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
I never heard of this before Obama became Prez. Is there anything he has made better?
Group prostate exams? I’ll pass.
“I never heard of this before Obama became Prez. Is there anything he has made better?”
Yes, his bank account, but nothing else!
“Group prostate exams? I’ll pass.”
I understand that the Texas DPS has “female officers” (read Lesbians) who are fully qualified to do this work. They are kinda like “physicians assistants of the highway” so to speak. And they are armed to “protect your a$$”!
This sounds like something out of socialist medicine purgatory
How long before semi-private hospital rooms are replaced by 30-bed wards like in the bad old days?
Insanity. When my wife and I need to see the Dr., we make separate consecutive appointments. It’s the only right thing to do.
Everyone lined up at the same time. Everyone opened their mouth at the same time. Everyone turned their head and coughed at the same time. Everyone bent over and spread their cheeks at the same time. Then everyone marched out of the room at the same time.
It wasn't "great" medicine as most people understand it, but it sure was quick and efficient. Plus, it was free! Can't beat that, can you?
Appalling that this is even a consideration. Oh, that's right, we're living in Obama's Amerika now...
Under the Obama Regime - and the coming Hillary Regime - sooner than you think...
I've had bad doctors who have made me wait for up to an hour and a half and I now have a great doctor that may make me wait 10 or 15 minutes.....
In fact, my last two doctor's visits were to specialty docs and with neither one of them did I have to wait more than 10 minutes.....Maybe I was just lucky, I don't know.
This makes it sound like these are group informational sessions rather than an appointment for actual medical care. If that is the case it makes sense for patients and doctors.
About 16 years ago my daughter’s obstetrician made her wait on a table, in a cold exam room for over 2 hours, with a raging breast infection while a lab across town returned results of a blood test. He never came to see her. It was the nurse who put her in that condition. This office was attached to the hospital where she’d had a C section earlier in the week.
I was there and put cold compresses on her head because she was running a fever. She was shivering, and I brought a blanket and a pillow from my car. Finally the nurse said she could get dressed and pick up a prescription from a pharmacy across town.
When she called the next day to complain about her treatment, the doctor said that he never intended to come to the office at all that day, and that her wait was caused by her “lousy insurance coverage” which would not allow her to be seen in the hospital. Needless to say, she hired a different doctor for the next baby. This was in Richmond, VA, and the first doctor was supposed to be one one of the best in town.
In HS we had group checkups by the nurse for lice and Scoliosis during gym class. What’s wring with a group physical or prostate exam? /s
I would need an hour or two to pronounce Dr. Devi Nampiaparampil.
Guess I’ll keep quiet about my hemhorroid.
I can’t imagine how anyone would even come up with this as a suggestion.
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