Physician. Where Art Thou?

 

In Search of Quality Health Care & A Good Physician

Quality health care and a good physician can be hard to find. It can be overwhelming. The search is time-consuming and daunting. I mean, finding a qualified, knowledgeable physician who listens, acts as a partner in managing our health care concerns, and takes the time to get to know his patients is so hard to find these days. I would love to find someone who doesn’t rush to give his patients a pill just to get them out of the office and then on to the next patient. Or, one who doesn’t see patients as just another person full of complaints.

What’s more, physicians who seemingly see us as wasting their time or as ‘bothersome’ are the worst!

You know the ones who greet new or established patients with “And what am I seeing you for today?” or “Why are you here today?” or “What brings you in today?” Huh? It is tempting to answer back with “You tell me!” Or “Instead of asking why I’m here, let me tell you where it hurts!” I know that sounds harsh, but…when you’re not feeling well, the last thing you want to hear, know or think is that you, or your very presence in their office, are a nuisance or an inconvenience.

Come on!

This is not meant to be disrespectful or besmirch our current field of medical professionals. I know there are plenty of very good, qualified physicians committed to providing the best possible health care. I’m not speaking about them. I’m speaking about those who seem to care less about what ails us and more about their own personal bias, time and bottom line, or lining the deep pockets of pharmaceutical companies and corporate interest groups.

Except for good dental care, I, for one, am not inclined to jump from one physician to another just because of one uncomfortable visit. If I find a good provider…you got me for life. In my case, the Primary Care Physician (PCP) I’d seen for the last 35+ years retired. I’m sure he meant well with his decision to leave his patients in the care of a qualified medical group. I was optimistic. But alas, I found this new group to be very disappointing.

Issues that range from never seeing the doctor to only seeing the Physician’s Assistant (PA) or Nurse Practitioner (NP), to rude receptionists, to insensitive comments about prescribing medications based on skin color!!!! That one left me cold! The last straw was having medications prescribed that, in combination with another drug, would have killed me. If it weren’t for the intervention of the pharmacist, I don’t think I’d be here to write about it. This, along with other events, had me running for the hills and in search of another PCP.

Quickly!

They are hard to find. But luckily, I have found a new PCP and…so far, so good. This whole experience got me thinking about those of us who have not been so lucky. The plethora of complaints from those 65 and older trying to seek medical care is heartbreaking.

An article in U.S. News states that there are over 70 million baby boomers (born between 1945 – 1964) alive today, and there aren’t enough geriatric physicians to treat them. Read more about it here. Memory changes, balance, and properly prescribed medications are a must. The same meds prescribed at age 45 do not have the same effect as we age into our 60s, 70s or 80s.

At a certain age, it is imperative to have good health care. That includes dental, medical and mental—if you don’t mind me saying. Is it really true that older people don’t receive the kind of care they once did at a younger age? Research seems to support this, especially within minority communities. What is alarming is that, in my humble opinion, there isn’t enough said about it. Please click here to read an article about this published by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).  

I never thought I’d be in a position to experience it firsthand, which has prompted me to write about it. But there it is. Whether it is due to a lack of training, overwhelmed staff, insufficient medical resources, or the inability to hire quality staff, our healthcare system leaves much to be desired.

I hope I’m wrong.

In any event, this is the day in the life of an author trying to meet the daily grind of staying healthy. Being an author requires stamina and good health to meet the demands of all things required to market our written books. 

So, be well, my friends.

~DaMarie

Photo Courtesy of Marcelo Leal