Anyone having trouble with SOME woodlands drs. misdiagnosing and injuring patients?? What about Memorial Hermann not releasing med records (not to mention Sadler going bankrupt and taking all records with it)? I am NOT an atty. - just an ordinary citizen and consumer who has seen some extraordinary and unnecessary suffering to some of my friends who were "treated" by incompetent drs and hospitals.
Anyone having trouble with SOME woodlands drs. misdiagnosing and injuring patients?? What about Memorial Hermann not releasing med records (not to mention Sadler going bankrupt and taking all records with it)? I am NOT an atty. - just an ordinary citizen and consumer who has seen some extraordinary and unnecessary suffering to some of my friends who were "treated" by incompetent drs and hospitals.
My impression of the local health care system is that the facilities are first-rate but the physicians/professional practice are second rate.
I saw a GP for a knee problem and she didn't examine the knee either by sight or touch but told me that "it was most probably a musculo-skeletal issue." (Hey, Babe, I KNEW that going in.) She then told me, sua sponte, that she didn't prescribe pain medications or tranquilizers because she "happened to think that they are highly addictive." (Really!? What a novel opinion. Thanks for the info., even if I didn't ask for any medication.)
It is common practice locally for doctors NOT to visit their patients in hospital but to defer that chore to a locum who may never have seen the patient before in his life and has no idea of his medical history.
In cities with first-rate care, the doctor that I saw (once) would be unemployed as would those who decline to visit inpatients.
I was hospitalized overnight a while ago and the only time that I saw the attending was when she breezed by my doorway to tell me that I was being discharged.
I am amazed that such an affluent community would accept such substandard practice. As a result of my experiences, if I ever require a serious procedure, I won't consider having it performed here.
I believe you are correct. How to achieve first rate??? Holding physicians accountable would be a start, but I don't see any legislation for this yet. In most professions, people are held accountable and are assessed for their performance in order to be employed. Not so in medicine. More and more, I'm seeing image over substance - especially with all of the ridiculous advertising doctors and hospitals pay for to be seen in the local magazines. In any event, it appears that most Woodlands residents really are not concerned with second rate medical care, and they are much more concerned with what kind of jewelry they wear or car they drive (I'm not against jewelry or nice cars). At least, that's my take. So maybe that's why doctors get away with the "no accountability" rule. People who think like us are, unfortunately, in the minority.
I was going to a popular Doctor in the practice Physicians of the Woodlands and was misdiagnosed by him after his PA perscribed a medication for me that she shouldn't have given me. I only went in to see the PA because he was so busy I couldn't get in to see him. I fell through the cracks and wound up in the hospital. While hospitalized at Memorial Hermann I received exceptional care. I cannot say enough about how great the doctors and nurses were there. Needless to say I have switched to Village Medical and am very happy with the care I have received. It is a pleasure to see a Doctor who cares, doesn't rush through an appointment and doesn't make you wait 45 min to an hour every time you go.
Aggiemom67 writes:
I was going to a popular Doctor in the practice Physicians of the Woodlands and was misdiagnosed by him after his PA perscribed a medication for me that she shouldn't have given me. I only went in to see the PA because he was so busy I couldn't get in to see him. I fell through the cracks and wound up in the hospital. While hospitalized at Memorial Hermann I received exceptional care. I cannot say enough about how great the doctors and nurses were there. Needless to say I have switched to Village Medical and am very happy with the care I have received. It is a pleasure to see a Doctor who cares, doesn't rush through an appointment and doesn't make you wait 45 min to an hour every time you go.
You saw the PA first? Then you accepted her diagnosis and took the medicine she prescribed?
Then you saw the Physician?
Everyone needs to take some responsibility for their own care. You let yourself get pushed around. Like every other person who I hire for a service, I'm watching them closely until I can trust them.
js1906 writes:
I prefer going to small practices, as the care is more personal and you don't get lost in the shuffle.
Sometimes they aren't any better. I switched from a small practice to a doctor who is at a larger practice. I get better more individualized care, she listens to me. The doctor I had before he just brushed off a lot of things and didn't seem to have the time to listen. I think it all depends on the doctor not the practice.
I work in the medical field and each doctor is like a small business. They run their practices differently and you as a consumer have the right to choose your dr. There are websites that rate the doctors and hospitals. As a consumer you should research these things. Interview the physician to see if you will like him. Really, you are paying him. Protect your money. You can't really gripe and complain when you don't do the research. There are a lot of great physicians and hospitals and right now you have a choice but once Obama care goes through, your choices will go down and your quality of care will go down. Ask any Canadian that had private insurance before.
blairbear17 writes:
I work in the medical field and each doctor is like a small business. They run their practices differently and you as a consumer have the right to choose your dr. There are websites that rate the doctors and hospitals. As a consumer you should research these things. Interview the physician to see if you will like him. Really, you are paying him. Protect your money. You can't really gripe and complain when you don't do the research. There are a lot of great physicians and hospitals and right now you have a choice but once Obama care goes through, your choices will go down and your quality of care will go down. Ask any Canadian that had private insurance before.
My doctor has said the same thing that they will have their hands tied with Obamacare, even if I have my own private insurance. We are already feeling the strain of the parts that have been implemented.
I see nothing in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that would limit anyone's access to any doctor.
Regarding the topic of the thread, however, my own take is that people who become interested in health care (usually due to an illness in their own family) soon realize that there is only one way to assure quality medical treatment, that is, become a patient at a nationally-ranked medical center.
Ergo, if one has cancer, the only sensible hospital to consider is M.D. Anderson in Houston (ranked #1 nationally by US News.) One can roll the dice with Hermann Memorial or St. Luke's locally but when the question is as important as one's own existence, why on earth would one take the chance? The same necessity to travel far from the neighborhood (including travel to other states) for top-notch treatment pertains to all other medical specialties as well.
Given that local hospitals treat only trivial illnesses or the major illnesses of people who are uninformed of their inadequacy, their overall standard of care is not subject to intense scrutiny and they are no better than one would expect under the circumstances.
I haven't been in a hospital as a patient in almost 50 years, but I have visited friends who were patients. I don't think the care is great, yet I know several very dedicated nurses.
Doctors don't seem as interested in solving problems or diagnosing. Maybe they have always been that way and I didn't notice. Fortunately, I don't have to have a lot of contact with doctors either.
Forgot to add. The most significant impact of Affordable Health to date is the refund of $1.1B in excess profits from insurance companies who exceeded the 20% ceiling allowed to them for overhead and profit.
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