Posted on 04/26/2016 10:27:40 AM PDT by beaversmom
By
Published April 20, 2016
I write this from the hospital. Seems I have lung cancer.
My doctors tell me my growth was caught early and I'll be fine. Soon I will barely notice that a fifth of my lung is gone. I believe them. After all, I'm at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. U.S. News & World Report ranked it No. 1 in New York. I get excellent medical care here.
But as a consumer reporter, I have to say, the hospital's customer service stinks. Doctors keep me waiting for hours, and no one bothers to call or email to say, "I'm running late." Few doctors give out their email address. Patients can't communicate using modern technology.
I get X-rays, EKG tests, echocardiograms, blood tests. Are all needed? I doubt it. But no one discusses that with me or mentions the cost. Why would they? The patient rarely pays directly. Government or insurance companies pay.
I fill out long medical history forms by hand and, in the next office, do it again. Same wording: name, address, insurance, etc.
I shouldn't be surprised that hospitals are lousy at customer service. The Detroit Medical Center once bragged that it was one of America's first hospitals to track medication with barcodes. Good! But wait -- ordinary supermarkets did that decades before.
Customer service is sclerotic because hospitals are largely socialist bureaucracies. Instead of answering to consumers, which forces businesses to be nimble, hospitals report...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
He was talking about NY State hospitals. At least NY values are better than say, Bay Area CA or MD and NJ.
Yes- prayers for you John.
That’s not been my experience.
Columbia Presbyterian is a phenomenal hospital, and people come from all over the world to be treated there. The bureaucratic and repetitive paperwork are because of Obamacare, HIPAA, other regulations and the ambulance-chasing lawyers who force medical professionals to ask the patient the same stupid questions six times so that they cover their asses.
I know several people who are alive today because of the care and treatment that they received at Columbia.
Your comment is not only insulting, it is unnecessary.
Non-smokers can get lung cancer. Thousands have had the disease without ever smoking.
My aunt died from it at 62 and never had a single cigarette in her life.
I have never had medical treatment in another state. I have never witnessed treatment in another state, but when I was admitted to hospital here in CO in 2013, I had excellent care, for the most part, at University Hospital at the old Fitzsimons AMC. Same goes for my parents there. And my daughter at Children’s Hospital on the same campus. It was expensive as heck so I understand what he is getting at as far as costs and unnecessary tests. I’m sure a lot of that gets done to prevent suits as he said.
Andy Kaufmann, as far as I understand, wasn’t a smoker.
As a lawyer- I find it astounding that in 2016 there are still a significant amount of doctors and medical institutions using hand written medical records!
I had two surgeries at Joint Diseases. Completely agree with you.
Yeah, me, too. Always enjoy his perspective. Lung cancer is one of the bad ones...not that there are any good ones, really. I hope he beats the odds.
Yes, Joint Diseases is a Lexus quality hospital. Then, there’s the other end of the spectrum, The Brooklyn Hospital Center.
Yes, praying for him. I have always liked Stossel.
My father had an identical experience in the hospital about a month ago.
I was diagnosed and treated for cancer over three years ago. The short answer to his question is "yes, it's very likely that ALL those tests mentioned are needed."
A longer answer (and I'm surprised that it didn't occur to Stossel before he asked the question), is that communication between doctors and patients is a two-way street. Doctors and nurses may have information to share, but if the patient does not ask the question, the doctor may omit the answer. This is not out of respect, not that they are trying to mislead, or run up a bill. There's a lot going on. If you, as a patient, have a question about your tests, or about your tests results...ask your doctor.
If you, as a patient, are feeling anxious or nervous about hearing a diagnosis or results from a test, take a friend. Take a spouse. Take someone not as emotionally-tied as you that can be your advocate...someone that can write down notes, or be more impartial.
If your doctor doesn't give you or your advocate a satisfactory answer, that's a different story.
Why are you here, trolling? Your post is not even germane to this thread.
Hey, c’mon. He only married into New York values! None of those other places are in New York, except maybe Canada.
my post is in response to the new york values comment.
follow the comments.
Prayers for a speedy and full recovery Mr. Stossel.
[I know you understand, we *believers* pray]
Positive thoughts your way.
My brother died from lung cancer when he was 45. Never smoked a day in his life.
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