[NEWS FLASH] Healthcare gone bad to great!

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healthcare gone awry

Does our healthcare system really ignore its patients this badly?

My friend had fallen and hit his head.

He had double vision and a headache, and a little nausea.

 

His roadblocks to healthcare

 

He got better over the next 72 hours.

But he thought that maybe he should have a CT (cat scan)  of his head to see if he had a concussion.

Since he was new to his area he had not established care yet with a primary care physician.

He also knew that if he called his doctor’s office, the call center would only tell him to go to the Emergency Room.

He knew he was not dying.

All he wanted was a CT scan.

He had a concussion once before and his previous doctor told him he should get a head CT if he ever had these symptoms again after falling.

 

He did not feel that this was a life-or-death situation

 

But if you say, “Head injury”, they say “emergency room”.

Never mind that he was already 72 hours out from the injury and the keyword “getting better”, no one would listen to him.

Their decision? Let’s overload an already overloaded emergency room.

So then he called telehealth to get the CT scan and they said “No, they don’t order CT scans. Go to the emergency room.”

 

Another failed healthcare facility

 

Being a good steward of his health, he went to the urgent care and said, “I need a CT scan and explained why.”

The urgent care said, “Sorry we don’t order CT scans because we just do 12-hour shifts and when the CT scan results come in we may not be the person on duty who has to call you back and follow up with you.”

They explained that there is no follow-up at an urgent care therefore they do not write orders for anything that we require a follow-up visit or a phone call.

And again they suggested the emergency room even though he explained it was not a life or death situation.

 

Now don’t get me wrong, he has great insurance.

 

Everyone would love to take his insurance. So now he is $35 in the hole for the telemedicine and $50 in the hole for the urgent care and still can’t get us just a CT scan.

And on top of all this, all 3 places, the CT scan place, telemedicine, and the urgent care felt his pain, his denial of access to care, and said to him “Welcome to American healthcare. We hate it as much as you.”

This is the frustration that you and I experience every day.

We can have all the insurance in the world but it doesn’t mean we’re going to have access to care.

It means that everybody wants to push us toward the emergency room.

It does nothing but overloads them.

Why?

 

Well, it’s quite simple.

 

Lawyers. Lawsuits.

The healthcare system is afraid of medical lawsuits.

So let’s overload an already overloaded emergency room.

 

This is why I love direct primary care.

 

Fortunately, you have a choice. A Direct Primary Care physician puts you first.

These folks interview you. They show you around the office.

You pay them a fixed monthly fee just like a gymnasium or just like your cell phone except it’s not that expensive.

You now have access to your physician who knows you and understands you and listens to you.

You and they form a team and work together for your health.

Period.

No stupid running around, not getting what you want.

The rules are NOT attorney-driven to limit your access to care.

 

How did this end?

 

He gave up.

Truly, he had tried his best.

So, he found a Direct Primary Care physician.

With renewed hope, he interviewed this physician and she interviewed him.

And now… he has a stake in his own medical care. No doors slammed shut anymore.

He can text her. He can call her. She’ll spend all the time she needs to help him.

 

So What About You?

Are you getting all the information, tests, and education you need about the best way to manage diabetes?

I used to give this ebook to my patients so we were sure to cover all the things that could be stopping them from losing weight or getting to their 6.0 A1c goal. 

Many patients reminded me to order these tests for them and really appreciated them for having this information and keeping me on the journey with them.

You can grab your copy here, Reverse My Diabetes Now. 

About the Author

Do you feel frustrated with your medical care? Do doctors spend 5 minutes with you, push you out of the office, with you wondering what's going to happen? Does your insurance deny paying? You're not alone. I'm frustrated, too. This is a growing trend in healthcare. Having seen pre-insurance medicine (yes, my dad was an old country doctor), I grew up watching him spend time with his patients, giving them the best care he had to offer. I saw families trust him to help them through hospitalizations and the next crisis. As a patient advocate, my job is to see that you get the right diagnosis, the right treatment plans, and the right supplies and education to make good decisions about your health. More importantly, I will teach you the tricks of the healthcare trade. We need more healthcare consumer protection, especially for chronic illnesses like diabetes. This is what I am passionate about. I make it happen every day with thousands of patients who now know what I know about beating the healthcare system and getting the best patient care...Patient Best.

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This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your healthcare provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that has been read on this blog or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately. The opinions and views expressed on this blog and website have no relation to those of any academic, hospital, health practice or other institution. Nor does this material constitute a provider-patient relationship between the reader and the author. 

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