Comparing U.S. and other medical systems

[sparks19]

Thank you both

Yeah I've been to the ER more times then I would like to remember lol.

At least the time I went when I waited 12 hours (6 were in the waiting room and other 6 were in a bed at least) they had a tv with a vcr and lots of disney movies so I watched Mary Poppins and two others lol.

When the doctor finally came in he made me lay down, looked at my throat, tapped on my stomach and said ... I think you have mono. drew some blood and sent me home. so the actual exam was less than 5 minutes lol and I was TICKED to find out it WAS mono and I basically had to suffer through it but at least he gave me some good anti inflammatories to help my throat just too bad I had to crush them up because my throat was so sore and swollen that I couldn't swallow them.

Mono is something I wouldn't wish on ANYONE.

The time I broke my leg... I don't really remember anything about that trip other than I did NOT want to go to the hospital because I was scared (I was 8) so I think I blocked o ut that whole experience in my mind lol.

[Grace]

Mono is something I wouldn't wish on ANYONE.

I was 7 when I had Mono. It used to be called the Kissing Disease, but I wasn't that type at 7

[sparks19]

I was 7 when I had Mono. It used to be called the Kissing Disease, but I wasn't that type at 7

HAHA yeah I was 16 I think when I had it... but if it's the kissing disease I would have had to have someone to kiss :O

[sparks19]

I just wanted to share this since we were talking about long wait times at the ER vs just going to your family doctor.

I was just talking to a friend of mine back home and she's had a "boo boo" for a bit now and had an appt with her family doctor ... and waited two hours.

Over worked, understaffed.

[carole]

Woah that is not on, i would never expect to wait more than 15mins if i had made an appointment with my doctor, unless there was an emergency or something, i would be changing my doctor for sure.

[RICHARD]

Woah that is not on, i would never expect to wait more than 15mins if i had made an appointment with my doctor, unless there was an emergency or something, i would be changing my doctor for sure.

The HMO I worked for had a policy that a physician was scheduled 15-20 minutes PER PATIENT.

Just enough time to read the nurse's notes and have him say "hmm" and "exactly where does it hurt.."


Henry Phord made it work assembling cars....

[sparks19]

Woah that is not on, i would never expect to wait more than 15mins if i had made an appointment with my doctor, unless there was an emergency or something, i would be changing my doctor for sure.

But she can't because there are no doctors taking on new patients so you kinda gotta keep what you got even if it's not ideal.

but yeah two hours is a long time to wait when you've made an appt. I know i've waited 45 mintues here one time with Hannah's back up doc but that's because he is VERY thorough

[Marigold2]

Working for two Dr's I know that sometimes we do get behind and people have to wait up to an hour.
1) Emergency. Eye Dr's get a ton of these, metal in the eye from factory workers, infection, something poked in eye, pencil, tree branch, fall on a fork or people in car accident, fallen down steps, punched in the face, glass in eye, animal ripped eye the list goes on and on. The ED sends them to us, they won't cut the metal out of the eye, our Dr does.
2) People arrive late, get lost, etc.
3) We work with a lot of elderly. They can not hear, can not see, don't understand the directions (they do drive to the app however). Explaining the surgery to them 2 then 3 then 4 times same questions over and over. What should have taken 10 minutes takes 27. They come in with walkers, take forever to refract or even to understand the directions on their drops.
We don't rush them. We understand that for some of these people we are the only ones they talk to all week maybe all month, they bring in pictures of their pets, grandchildren, they have no one, no one to even drive to the hospital for surgery. We have to plead with their family or neighbors to help. The hospital will not release them after surgery to a taxi and of course they cannnot drive. We are patient and kind and treat them with respect and it takes time. These are our WW11 veterans these are people who worked all their lives and now need surgery need help and we don't rush them. So yes you might have to wait but when you do see the Dr (who was voted one of the best in the country) he really listens to you, calms your fears, answers your questions and you are not rushed or made to feel like a number, so sit down, take a magazine and kindly wait your turn.

Woah that is not on, i would never expect to wait more than 15mins if i had made an appointment with my doctor, unless there was an emergency or something, i would be changing my doctor for sure.

[carole]

I hear what you are saying Marigold, i too have worked in the health system, a private surgical hospital, and i sure know that some things are beyond control, and stuff just happens, however i have never had to wait longer than 15 mins to see a doctor if i have made an appointment, if you just walk casually in to the drop in doctor or ER you can expect 1 to 2 hour waits, and at the hospital up to six hours wait, still it is far too long, but yep stuff does happen,

In answer to your question , no sorry i would not swap my health system for your's. Thanks anyway lol.