by KariOtt 13 Replies latest jw friends
The medical establishment is the only business in the country that can treat it's customers like crap and get away with it. Not only do they get away with it, the patients (customers) walk away still saying 'thank you dr."!
My friend works in the medical field and it is policy to book 3 appointments for one time slot.
Once upon a time doctors were healers not big business.
Once, when my father was going through tests at a hospital 2 1/2 hours away ( a very well renound teaching hospital) He was diabetic at the time and instructed not to eat or drink from Midnight the night before. He had more than once test to be done and when waiting for the extremely essesintial MRI scan he was in a waiting room, in a hospital gown from 11 until after 2:30 when I finally blew my top I literally ran down hospital staff and made a bit of a scene. He was getting physicall exausted, thirsty, blood sugar wasn't good, felt horrible, the wheelchar was not padded and he was having lots of pain sitting in it. He could barely walk due to the IV and severe parkinsons problems, so going to the bathroom was a huge ordeal.
Now get this, after ALL this time, plus another hour or so of waiting, we get a radiologist sitting down asking for a card from his cardiologist stating where his previous ( many years ago) stints had been placed. Not not one thing was ever mentioned to my parents about needing such a card. Mom searched her purse and found one, but not for the other one. The radiologist then proceeded to tell us he was not able to have the scan due to this lack of information ( that no one had EVER bothered to tell us was needed and they didn't already have) I promise, it is by a slim chance I was not arrested for blowing up. He was one week away from getting his metal halo for brain surgery and this was to pin point the position frame he was to wear. HIGHLY important. We eventualy got a different type scan, it was said to be acceptable ( I didn't want "acceptable" I wanted what the neurosurgen ordered!) I went around to every single suggestion box, and filled out every paper they had with "suggestions". The writing helped me to calm down a little. I don't know if they ever really took the advice I gave, suggestions of always always telling the paitent what was needed when the appt was made, BEFORE each test so there are no bals dropped at Dr offices, which obviously was the case here. A 2 1/2 hour drive was very, very hard on my father and even thinking about this right now gets me very upset.
In the end, the halo was placed correctly, and the surgery very sucessful. The Drs he was seeing were the reason for being there. The hospital rules and administration rules are NOT always the indicator of how good the DR might be.
nonjwspouse, your story gives me flashbacks. The feelings of helplessness, of being a cog in a machine with no control is horrible, horrible. As a diabetic, I can't imagine the shape I would be in at eighteen hours without eating.
I have been blessed in the states with very good healthcare for the most part-most of my waiting type inconveniences have been minor-and usually for good reason (OB gyn's get leeway). I lived in a foreign country that just told you to show up on tuesday(for example). Everyone showed up first thing-before 9am and got in line. They did have a tea boy/girl and AC so it could have been worse. . . but a two hour wait was expected and we would never make plans for more than one appt a day. EVER. The worst part was the parking-because, rather than 2000 people cycling throughout the day, they all showed up at pretty much the same time. But even in the ME, they can learn. I understand that the national health care programme in that country now has real appointments, so I am glad that all the suggestion cards that I wrote were finally listened to (and yes, I wrote a LOT of them). I will say though that I had a tummy tuck (circumferential) and 10 days stay for less than $1500 dollars. I also had the best nursing care of MY LIFE.
I think that writing the doctors a personal note in appreciation for their actual care/work on you is good (if it WAS good) and letting them know that the administration, whether of their own staff or the hospital admin-is BAAD and reflects poorly on the otherwise excellent care would be an effective way to make the point. It may seen obvious,but not everyone higher up may know of mistakes or software issues or personnel issues that are happening. Let them know when your blood pressure has returned to normal and your face is no longer red:) Most admins want to be known for excellence-so help them get more excellent.
