Doctors visits

[maria garcia]

Strange story, Maria. I can't guess what he might have been "checking" either, but I am glad you can laugh about it!

Al

Al im sorry I just edited my story I went over it with my daughter and he kept poking her butt not spancked! There i go again (im cracking up)lol!

[Sangye]

If you don't know what your doctor is doing during an exam it's important to ask. A doctor certainly could be overstepping his bounds, but sometimes they are looking for something and you might be able to help by providing more info. It's your body and your care-- it's important to take control and not be a passive patient.

In my practice I never wanted my patients to feel uncomfortable, and I also liked to educate them. As I did an exam or worked on them I'd describe what I was doing and why. I heard all the time that they'd never had a doctor do that before. That was very upsetting to me.

[Al]

Al im sorry I just edited my story I went over it with my daughter and he kept poking her butt not spancked! There i go again (im cracking up)lol!

Thanks for explaining, Maria. One bit of advice: Even when the doctor is being comical (whether intentionally or unintentionally), you deserve an explanation what is happening. I know you were giggling too hard at the time, but you should always ask what the point is. (Actually, he should have told you without the asking, but sometimes you've got to step in on your own, even if you have to make yourself comical to do it!)

Al

[jola57]

Maria, I would ask the doc at the next visit what he was poking at. Could it have been the hips or the musle, I agree with Sangye, the doc MUST explan what he is doing and why. As to doctors touching, well the last time I wa looked at properly was when I was in my teens and my doctor in Toronto was an old Polish surgeon/family doc. He looked in my eyes, at my hands, my walk, at my spine, in my throat, ears, behind and under me ears, my neck. He was very thorough. My visit was never less than 20 minutes. Now if I see my family doc for more than 5 minutes it is a miracle

[drz]

Maria, I would ask the doc at the next visit what he was poking at. Could it have been the hips or the musle, I agree with Sangye, the doc MUST explan what he is doing and why. As to doctors touching, well the last time I wa looked at properly was when I was in my teens and my doctor in Toronto was an old Polish surgeon/family doc. He looked in my eyes, at my hands, my walk, at my spine, in my throat, ears, behind and under me ears, my neck. He was very thorough. My visit was never less than 20 minutes. Now if I see my family doc for more than 5 minutes it is a miracle

Yea, that is the old time doctor visit experience and now it takes a half dozen visits to several specialists to get that much of an exam.

[Trudy]

Yea, that is the old time doctor visit experience and now it takes a half dozen visits to several specialists to get that much of an exam.

So what do your doctors do??? My rheumy/internist always checks eyes, ears, throat, glands, hands, lungs, reflexes, ankles; and whatever he deems relative that month. A normal visit is about 1/2 hour plus time with blood draw etc. I guess I should consider myself lucky to get this much attention?!

[Al]

So what do your doctors do??? My rheumy/internist always checks eyes, ears, throat, glands, hands, lungs, reflexes, ankles; and whatever he deems relative that month. A normal visit is about 1/2 hour plus time with blood draw etc. I guess I should consider myself lucky to get this much attention?!

Yes, you are lucky, Trudy. The typical allotment the doctor gets from the insurance company is now 7 minutes. If you take longer, it comes out of the next patient's time. It largely turns doctors into money pumps, channeling wealth from your estate into the coffers of the medical-industrial complex. (This is, of course, the dark way to view the situation. But I submit there is much truth in that assessment, though it reflects nothing about the motives or desires of individual clinicians, most of whom are truly dedicated and caring.) I think we can do better.

Al

[Sangye]

Most of my docs at JHU spend at least 30 minutes with me, often more. The time is spent with updating my symptoms, an exam and any procedures, answering questions and explaining procedures, test results, etc.... I rarely feel rushed. I know this is not the typical experience most people have with MDs.

[chrisTIn@]

The first time I saw my specialist he examined me thouroughly. We discussed my medical history, he did a complete body-check up. It took over an hour in his office, and then (it was in a university-hospital) a picture of my skin-rash was taken, two skin-biopts and I guess also a chest x-ray. Don't remember excactly...
Afterwords I had to go to the lab for a blood- and urine test. About ten bloodsmples were taken.
When I see my specialist now, I only get to see him about ten minutes. Afterwords labwork.

Due to political factors and cuts in the budget the immunology research center of this excellent scientist will end. I still see him a few times a year, but don't know what the future will bring...

[Al]

The first time I saw my specialist he examined me thouroughly. We discussed my medical history, he did a complete body-check up. It took over an hour in his office, and then (it was in a university-hospital) ....Due to political factors and cuts in the budget the immunology research center of this excellent scientist will end. I still see him a few times a year, but don't know what the future will bring...

For what it is worth, I have found that doctors at university hospitals much freer with time allotments than those at commercial clinics. But, as you suggest, they are under similar constraints in the long term: They must bring in the grant money or lose their laboratories. So it is still a problem....

Al