My wife had an appointment with her primary physician. Doesn't that sound strange? It does to me because when I was growing up we went to the doctor, we didn't have a doctor, just whoever was available at the moment. A primary doctor? Just what would that be? I remember a pediatrician named Dr. Zenger. She, yup a female Doctor, quite controversial, but a baby Doctor so that made sense. She came to the house once when I had scarlet fever. Then I got hit on the top of the head with a clam and required a few stiches in my scalp. I think Dr. Abel may have done that, at the clinic, and he may have given me a physical for my working papers. Until I joined the Navy that was about the extent of Doctors for me. A primary physician though? That is something insurance companies have invented. At least that is my thinking about that. One person to coordinate all tests and procedures, an overseer so to speak. This person needs to be a Doctor, but not specialize in any thing in particular. Their job is to direct you to the right secondary doctor. What I always called a specialist. Thing is, I always felt like if you needed a specialist, that wasn't good! That was serious business, dead serious. But times have changed and now we all have a primary and a string of specialists. I even have three myself.
But I got off track there a bit. I was saying my wife had an appointment with her primary physician. When we got there we were informed that he was sick. In fact, he has been out of the office for some time and it was hopeful he could return in August. Now, I know Doctors are just people like you and I but it seemed strange that he was sick. My first thought was, physician heal thyself. That was followed by another irrational thought, if the guy can't keep himself healthy, do I want him tending to my wife? And, yes he is my primary doctor too. But like I said I realize he is just a man. It does seem funny however. You can't see your primary doctor because he is ill and that means you can't see your secondary one either! You can't see the backup? Well looks like the team is without a coach at the moment. The appointment has been rescheduled. Wishing the Doctor a speedy recovery.
In thinking about all of this it occurred to me that health care really has become a business. I know that sounds obvious. It sounds obvious because it is what we hear all the time these days. That wasn't so when I was growing up. You went to the Doctor, or he came to you, as necessary. No one went for maintenance. No, you had to be broke first, then he fixed you up. The business of a doctor was to patch you up and help you regain your health. Now it seems like doctors are available to perform specific procedures. You go see the Coordinator ( primary physician )who then directs you to the person with the necessary skill to execute the play. After that you return to the coordinator and the cycle continues. You are scheduled to see this primary doctor at set intervals. It isn't a matter of if you are going to need further care, just when and by whom. We do have a doctor for everything these days.
All of this is predicated upon your ability to pay. Short of you being independently wealthy, your insurance is the deciding factor. I am firmly convinced that health care is modified depending upon that issue alone. Can you or your insurance company pay. I'm not saying it hasn't always been this way, it certainly has, but it has grown worse. The old family doctor didn't do his job for free either. Thing is he also didn't send you to three others. You might wind up seeing one of those specialists but it wasn't a matter of course. No, the old Doctor did everything he could for you first. Well, to be fair to todays doctors, they also didn't have teams of television lawyers ready to sue them! That is a portion of the " health care " system everyone knows about, but nothing can be done about. The lawyers themselves have ensured that. Anything less would be an injustice denying you your right to compensation! Yes, that is the mantra; justice is monetary compensation. If you or a loved you suffered a medical mistake you should be compensated. Even if the doctor made an honest mistake, its' still a mistake and you deserve compensation. Sure Great Aunt Gertrude died but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get millions to ease your sorrow. Sure it'll be a structured settlement but you can always sell that to JG Wentworth, it's your money you deserve it now!
Well this is just rambling on about a simple thing. I sometimes do that. The Doctor is sick. Funny how that comes off as such a surprise. You just expect the doctor to be in. I wish him a speedy recovery from whatever malady has befallen him. I'm betting he makes a terrible patient though. It would just have to be a pain in the butt. I can hear him now, I'm a primary physician, I'm no second stringer, I know what I need.
But I got off track there a bit. I was saying my wife had an appointment with her primary physician. When we got there we were informed that he was sick. In fact, he has been out of the office for some time and it was hopeful he could return in August. Now, I know Doctors are just people like you and I but it seemed strange that he was sick. My first thought was, physician heal thyself. That was followed by another irrational thought, if the guy can't keep himself healthy, do I want him tending to my wife? And, yes he is my primary doctor too. But like I said I realize he is just a man. It does seem funny however. You can't see your primary doctor because he is ill and that means you can't see your secondary one either! You can't see the backup? Well looks like the team is without a coach at the moment. The appointment has been rescheduled. Wishing the Doctor a speedy recovery.
In thinking about all of this it occurred to me that health care really has become a business. I know that sounds obvious. It sounds obvious because it is what we hear all the time these days. That wasn't so when I was growing up. You went to the Doctor, or he came to you, as necessary. No one went for maintenance. No, you had to be broke first, then he fixed you up. The business of a doctor was to patch you up and help you regain your health. Now it seems like doctors are available to perform specific procedures. You go see the Coordinator ( primary physician )who then directs you to the person with the necessary skill to execute the play. After that you return to the coordinator and the cycle continues. You are scheduled to see this primary doctor at set intervals. It isn't a matter of if you are going to need further care, just when and by whom. We do have a doctor for everything these days.
All of this is predicated upon your ability to pay. Short of you being independently wealthy, your insurance is the deciding factor. I am firmly convinced that health care is modified depending upon that issue alone. Can you or your insurance company pay. I'm not saying it hasn't always been this way, it certainly has, but it has grown worse. The old family doctor didn't do his job for free either. Thing is he also didn't send you to three others. You might wind up seeing one of those specialists but it wasn't a matter of course. No, the old Doctor did everything he could for you first. Well, to be fair to todays doctors, they also didn't have teams of television lawyers ready to sue them! That is a portion of the " health care " system everyone knows about, but nothing can be done about. The lawyers themselves have ensured that. Anything less would be an injustice denying you your right to compensation! Yes, that is the mantra; justice is monetary compensation. If you or a loved you suffered a medical mistake you should be compensated. Even if the doctor made an honest mistake, its' still a mistake and you deserve compensation. Sure Great Aunt Gertrude died but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get millions to ease your sorrow. Sure it'll be a structured settlement but you can always sell that to JG Wentworth, it's your money you deserve it now!
Well this is just rambling on about a simple thing. I sometimes do that. The Doctor is sick. Funny how that comes off as such a surprise. You just expect the doctor to be in. I wish him a speedy recovery from whatever malady has befallen him. I'm betting he makes a terrible patient though. It would just have to be a pain in the butt. I can hear him now, I'm a primary physician, I'm no second stringer, I know what I need.
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