FRiend
A word to the wise: find an Internist, pay whatever copay/$ you need to pay for the first visit so that you have a chart in the office, and he has all of your medical info.
Why? I speak as a true old-fashioned primary care Internist: There won’t be good, competent AMERICAN doctors taking much in the way of insurance plans (absolutely tied to Medicare fees) within 5-10 years, on the current course. Even if you are intrinsically healthy, you will need certain screening procedure at certain ages. Regardless, we already have a dearth of primary care docs in the US, and all indicators are that it is going to get much worse. I promise you, even if you don’t like going to the doctor (and don’t), you should do it as an investment. Not just health, but $$$: Healthcare is going to get more expensive, and much of the cost will be borne by those that do not have a “medical home.”
Primary care docs love to have healthy people who are aware of the value of services. They will accommodate patients that they like — same day (emergent) visits, referrals, etc. Hell, they’ll even negotiate the expenses, if you are in a pinch for whatever reason. You don’t know how many times I say in a week upon receiving a phone message from a patient, “Oh yeah, that guy. He doesn’t bust my nuts, takes care of himself, and is responsible. Let’s help him out ASAP.” Conversely,I don’t care if you pay me in gold bullion: If you are a Troll/Troglodyte who specializes in making everyone around you miserable, or are irresponsible about medications/appointment, you’ll get “next available.”
Any doc who says differently is lying to himself or is a fool. Any potential patient out there who doesn’t at least weigh what I am saying here... well, let’s just say, your in for an eye-opener on down the road, as you’ve already segregated yourself.
great thanks and great points....I took them all seriously
I hope you trust your office help. If she's married to you, treat her well, because this kind of behavior (which I personally don't condemn at all) can get you scrutinized by all those regulators out there.
But I disagree that the biggest problem is a lack of primary care docs. I believe that our biggest problem is a lack of specialty surgeons who will take hospital call. It is getting tough to retain hospital docs who'll be available for car wrecks, other emergency care. The orthos all have their own outpatient hospitals and just don't want to have hospital privileges, so the leverage that hospitals used to have is gone.