I can appreciate that there are times where it is unavoidable. However, I think the times where it can be avoided far outweigh the times where it can't.
Sounds to me like NM needs to change some laws to lure more practitioners into the area. I don't see how that is a failure of the 'health care system', though. I also don't think its realistic to expect the same level of care or even same level of accessibility of care when you live in a sparsely populated area as compared to a more populated area. On Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 9:04 AM, Dana<[email protected]> wrote: > > that's the current meme. However -- let me add another facet to that. (There > are a lot of them and a lot I do not have time to explore just now. ) > > However: > > New Mexico has a doctor shortage in large part due to a sparse population > and also to lack of money to be made here and furthermore a ridiculous > gross-receipts tax. > > If the clinic can't see you they refer you to the ER. If you are having a > semi-serious (but non-emergency) illness you have no other option. For > instance, if the clinic is booked out until December, bronchitis will get > ignored until it can't be, then wind up in the ER. > > Sure, people show up with the flu there, which is pointless and clogs the > system. Just thought I'd point out the other side of that story though. I've > been that person in the ER with a cough. A cough that cracked three ribs, > after I hadn't slept in several days. > Shortage of primary care contributes to the problem. > > I have no primary care doctor at the moment. Doctors roll their eyes at me > over this, but there are simply not that many primary care doctors (or even > clinics) around here, and several I *have* seen find reasons not to take me > on as a patient when they get a load of the medical history. It's all > managed and under control, but sounds un-nerving to the average GP trying to > make his errors and omissions payment. > > The fact that I know what to do and when doesn't change the fact that > patients less skilled with google might be in serious trouble in such a > situation. Coumadin for instance *is* a dangerous drug. Not wanting to deal > with it doesn't do much for the overall health of the population however.... > just the risk exposure of the individual practitioner. And it almost > certainly leads to ER visits, some of which are actual emergencies. Which > don't get treated, because coumadin is in the picture. > > Bah :) > > > > On Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 6:44 AM, Scott Stroz <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> I think one part of the problem (and I will admit I am not sure hoe >> big or small it is in the grand scheme of things) is that people tend >> to use the ER as their personal physician's office. I used to see >> people all the time come to the ER for ridiculous reasons and some of >> them actually call an ambulance too. The cost of an ER visit has got >> to be much higher than a trip to a doctor's office for some of these >> issues (like a toothache - I shit you not - I cannot even count how >> many times people came to the ER, or called for an ambulance, for a >> fucking toothache). >> >> So, I think part of the solution is to educate the 'consumer', let >> them know how the system is supposed to work. But, sadly, if they are >> too stupid to realize that a toothache is not an 'emergency' all the >> education in the world won't help. >> >> Again, I am not sure how big of an issue this really is, but from my >> 20 years in EMS, it was pretty prevalent. >> >> On Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 8:34 AM, G Money<[email protected]> wrote: >> > >> > I think the problem is...the system works great, for those of us with >> access >> > too it. >> > >> > For the millions without access to it for whatever reason....these >> stories >> > seem impossible. >> > >> > So how do you try to provide quality healthcare to these people, without >> > compromising the quality of the care that you and I have always received? >> > >> > On Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 7:12 AM, Scott Stroz <[email protected]> wrote: >> > >> >> >> >> I can share another story. >> >> >> >> My wife and I decided it was time to start having children. She got >> >> pregnant, we paid a $20 co-pay on her first visit to OB/GYN. We paid >> >> nothing for each subsequent visit. My wife went into labor and after >> >> quite a few hours of labor, the Dr. decided that she needed a >> >> c-section. Fast forward 24 hours and my son was diagnosed with a >> >> stroke. He was moved to another hospital and spent 15 days in the >> >> Neonatal ICU before being discharged. How much extra did the >> >> unexpected c-section and stay in NICU cost us? Nothing. >> >> >> >> So, for $20 we got 9 months of doctors visits, including ultrasounds, >> >> blook work, etc, PLUS a 4 day stay in hospital for surgery/recovery >> >> PLUS a 15 day stay in an intensive care unit with blood work, MRIs, CT >> >> Scans, etc. If that is broke, I would love to see how it would work >> >> when its fixed. >> >> >> >> On Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 8:06 AM, G Money<[email protected]> wrote: >> >> > >> >> > Let me tell you another story.... >> >> > >> >> > While out playing football with my friends, I come down awkwardly on >> my >> >> > knee. It hurts for several days, so I go see my doctor. I pay him my >> $15 >> >> > dollar co pay, he refers me to a knee specialist. The specialist sees >> me >> >> the >> >> > next day, diagnoses a torn ACL, suggests surgery if I want to remain >> >> active. >> >> > A week later, I have my elective surgery, then 6 months of rehab, and >> >> > finally, a fitted, constructed-just-for-me knee brace. >> >> > >> >> > Total cost: $15 copay for initial visit. >> >> > >> >> > Immediate, top of the line care for an elective surgery to ensure a >> >> better >> >> > standard of living....for fifteen bucks. >> >> > >> >> > Now...I don't know if my experience is the exception or the >> rule.....but >> >> > it's worth noting that there are those of us who've had nothing but >> good >> >> > experiences with our "broken" health care system. >> >> > >> >> > On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 6:13 PM, Michael Grant <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> > >> >> >> >> >> >> That's a brutal story. I count my lucky stars that I have >> nationalised >> >> >> healthcare. Waiting an extra week for non-emergency care is worth it >> to >> >> >> know >> >> >> I'm at least going to get care. No matter what. >> >> >> >> >> >> This was a link at the bottom of the story. Pretty funny. Or sad, >> since >> >> >> it's >> >> >> pretty much true. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzDwXr9szxw&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Edailykos%2Ecom%2Fstory%2F2009%2F7%2F7%2F751100%2F%2DHow%2DI%2Dlost%2Dmy%2Dhealth%2Dinsurance%2Dat%2Dthe%2Dhairstylists&feature=player_embedded >> >> >> >> >> >> On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 5:41 PM, Sandra Clark <[email protected]> >> >> wrote: >> >> >> >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> >> >> >> http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/7/751100/-How-I-lost-my-health-insu >> >> >> > rance-at-the-hairstylists >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > >> >> > >> >> >> >> >> > >> > >> >> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Want to reach the ColdFusion community with something they want? 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