STudy Shows 1/3 of Doctors Withold Info From Patients

[Abe Sargent]

Hmpf.

Article on Yahoo!


-Anxiety

[QuikSand]

I'll soon be posting a puzzle: what portion of doctors tell their patients everything?

[Franklinnoble]

This shouldn't really come as a surprise to anybody.

[JeeberD]

Damn doctors!

Oh, sorry Dad....

[tucker342]

doesn't really surprise me.....

[QuikSand]

On a more serious note, I personally am much more concerned about doctors not telling me about treatment options that don't personally enrich the doctor.

Without getting into needless details, I have had two significant medical issues within the last decade, and in each case came away with the general sense that everybody in the so-called benevolent fields of medicine and health care are really just snake oil salesmen, trying to make a buck. For one particulr condition, I saw more than ten different practicioners of various types - and each and every one told me that the most effective thing for my situation was XXX. In each case XXX was whatever the particular specialty of the practicioner was. Essentially, my medical problem was just another boat payment.

I have since found a primary care physician who treats me very well, and whom I trust. But much past that, I find myself deeply suspicious of just about every Minor Deity that I have to deal with, and just as much so of their various non-traditional economic rivals.

[SplitPersonality1]

Minor Deity. Good one.

I am also very suspiscious of most doctors. I have been fortunate enough to have a very good one that doesn't lead with the most expensive option.

I had back problems several years ago and surgery was a last option; not the first thing out of his mouth. He has treated both of my parents and actually gives them a call every now and then to see how they are doing. Other than the lack of housecalls, he is like an old-time family doctor.

Unfortunately, he is about 70 and due to retire soon.

[albionmoonlight]

I generally agree with you Quik.

However, as a professional in a field where people love to call us ball washing bastards, I will say something in the MD's defense.

Specifically, when someone comes to me with a legal issue, I tend to present them with an involved legal answer--not because I just want their business, but because I tend to find the field to which I have dedicated my life disproportionaly useful.

I think that the MD who specializes in X may sometimes recommend X as a treatment, not just to get your business, but because he spends all day working with the virtues of X.

I have enough problems, however, defending lawyers from needless scorn, so I am not going to spend too much energy defending MDs.

[albionmoonlight]

Dola--

Actually, I don't want to be on the Dr's side in this.

I have a couple of friends in Med. School, both of which have decided to become emergency room docs. They were both motivated by the fact that, while emergency medicine does not pay as well as other branches, they did not want to have to deal with insurance and the exact problems raised by this article.

Of course, this trend means that Drs who care more about paitent welfare than money are being steered away from primary care. Great.

[Eaglesfan27]

Well as a Doctor, I have an opinion on this. Basically, just like any field in life there are good doctors and bad doctors. Some of my classmates were money hungry greedy A-holes, and some were really decent people who I truly believe went into the field for the altruistic reasons that we would like all doctors to have. Unfortunately, there are many negative influences that doctors face daily: managed care, malpractice suit threats, the resultant high premium on malpractice insurance, pressure from multiple hospitals and outside companies that hire many of us as there are very solo practicioners out there anymore.

Now, I don't think we should be pitied nor am I saying anyone should feel sorry for the state we are in with managed care. I believe the poor practice patterns of doctors in the past caused many of these problems, and we don't really have anyone but our professional colleagues to blame for some of these problems. I'm really digressing here.

I think these negative influences cause some of the really good classmates I've had to become a little bit more money conscious as I think the general morale of the profession is down. Personally, I'm fortunate that I came from a dirt poor family, and even with the headaches this is a career come true for me still. I think there are still some good doctors out there who don't think about money first and still put the welfare of their patients first, I just think they are harder to find. Also, I agree with the point that specialists have invested several years of their lives becoming specialists at what they do, and they are naturally going to assume it is the best course of action. This may color their opinion and make them more likely to subconsciously push their specialities line of treatment. I do make sure I present all viable options of treatment to my patients however.

I'm sorry this post was a little disjointed.

Edited for one point of clarification: I meant this career is a dream come true as I truly enjoy what I'm doing and I'm making more money then I ever dreamed of when I grew up with my single mom scraping by on 10k a year.

[wbonnell]

Originally posted by QuikSand

Without getting into needless details, I have had two significant medical issues within the last decade, and in each case came away with the general sense that everybody in the so-called benevolent fields of medicine and health care are really just snake oil salesmen, trying to make a buck. For one particulr condition, I saw more than ten different practicioners of various types - and each and every one told me that the most effective thing for my situation was XXX. In each case XXX was whatever the particular specialty of the practicioner was. Essentially, my medical problem was just another boat payment.

I've had similar experiences and posted as much several months ago. I think you ought to find a good osteopath.

[cuervo72]

Originally posted by QuikSand
I saw more than ten different practicioners of various types - and each and every one told me that the most effective thing for my situation was XXX

XXX can be the remedy in a good number of situations

But much past that, I find myself deeply suspicious of just about every Minor Deity that I have to deal with, and just as much so of their various non-traditional economic rivals.

You're not kidding with the "Minor Deity" comment. Having worked at Johns Hopkins, I can say that many of the doctors absolutely regard themselves as being superiour to everyone around them. Yes, damn fine doctors work at JH. But oh, the egos.

[cuervo72]

Originally posted by cuervo72
superiour

Whoops, slipped into euro-spelling there

[Abe Sargent]

THere was a Dr. Meeks in my hometown growing up. Great man. He was a doctor in the ruralist areas of West Virginia, where you need them. I remember going to him for physicials, shots, and a boil on my knee.

No matter what he did, he charged one of three prices for his services - $5, $10, or $15 depending on what happened. Shots were $10. Physicals were $5.

In other words, any poor person could access Dr. Meeks services without any insurance. In fact, his charges were less than insurance premiums, so he never had to worry about insurance companies.

He ended up losing his medical license because he "innapropriately" obtained drugs and dispensed them. He couldn't and wouldn't charge for medicine and treatments what the establishment wanted him to so he had fellow doctors, nurses, aids, and the like supplying him on the side and it caused him to lose his license.

He was a good doctor, trying to help people, and he was willing to work outside the system for little pay in order to do so. He exposed its hypocrasy for what it was, and I'll always remember him as a good man who honestly cared. I never knew if he continued dispensing medical care after his liscensed was forfeited or not.

-Anxiety