A patient rants:
“I am a 62-year-old man with a few medical problems. Mostly I’ve decided to ‘watch and wait’ in the hope they will get better with time.
“This might seem like a faulty plan, but in my 62 years, I’ve seen a dozen doctors and found only one willing to actually TALK to me. I’ve had a couple of physicians enter the exam room reading the medical files, ask why I’m there and leave (all in less than four minutes – I’ve timed it) and NEVER LOOK AT ME. They looked at records, lab reports, current weight and BP, but never at me.
“It gets worse. When I had the temerity to ask a question, I’ve had doctors get up and leave, saying that the nurse will explain it to me. How do I find a doctor willing to answer questions? I have a Ph.D. and can understand explanations.”
Sounds about right. With the reimbursement pie shrinking, the pressure is on to increase the volume. Don’t expect this to get any better anytime soon.
