A question for medical doctors.
#1
A question for medical doctors.
Is this sort of message usual? - this poster in my Drs exam room feels overtly aggressive and full of self-justification. Not a very welcoming statement to read while waiting.
On another note, I was called in to see my GP about a hip issue I had a consultation about 2 years ago. The orthopaedic consultant I saw then has moved away, so my GP wanted to inform me I'd been moved to the replacement consultants list, 'somewhere below his existing patients'. Estimated time for a consultation....another 2 years. I know the NHS is far from perfect too, but that sort of wait time is depressing. I'll be long gone from BC before the next appointment comes around.
On another note, I was called in to see my GP about a hip issue I had a consultation about 2 years ago. The orthopaedic consultant I saw then has moved away, so my GP wanted to inform me I'd been moved to the replacement consultants list, 'somewhere below his existing patients'. Estimated time for a consultation....another 2 years. I know the NHS is far from perfect too, but that sort of wait time is depressing. I'll be long gone from BC before the next appointment comes around.
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,874
Re: A question for medical doctors.
There was a time when patients were sent a copy of what had been charged to the BC Medical Plan during a stay in hospital ...........
it itemised the cost of the bed, surgeon, anaesthetist, medications, etc
It really made one appreciate how much treatment really cost.
I think that poster is meant to do the same sort of thing ......... think!
Too many people do not appreciate how much time is spent by doctors. Nor do they understand the amounts billed to MSP by doctors which used to be published regularly in the newspaper .......... too many people believe that the billed charge of $200,00 or $1 million was the doctor's full income for the year.
I learnt long ago that was not so!
it itemised the cost of the bed, surgeon, anaesthetist, medications, etc
It really made one appreciate how much treatment really cost.
I think that poster is meant to do the same sort of thing ......... think!
Too many people do not appreciate how much time is spent by doctors. Nor do they understand the amounts billed to MSP by doctors which used to be published regularly in the newspaper .......... too many people believe that the billed charge of $200,00 or $1 million was the doctor's full income for the year.
I learnt long ago that was not so!
#4
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: A question for medical doctors.
I would be asking for a referral to a different specialist - no doubt the one your GP has decided on is their preferred one, but there are others.
Failing that - and if you could afford it - there's always this place, to get an assessment done; no referral required.
Home SRC: Specialist Referral Clinic - Vancouver, BC, Canada
Failing that - and if you could afford it - there's always this place, to get an assessment done; no referral required.
Home SRC: Specialist Referral Clinic - Vancouver, BC, Canada
#5
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Orton, Ontario
Posts: 2,030
Re: A question for medical doctors.
Is this sort of message usual? - this poster in my Drs exam room feels overtly aggressive and full of self-justification. Not a very welcoming statement to read while waiting.
On another note, I was called in to see my GP about a hip issue I had a consultation about 2 years ago. The orthopaedic consultant I saw then has moved away, so my GP wanted to inform me I'd been moved to the replacement consultants list, 'somewhere below his existing patients'. Estimated time for a consultation....another 2 years. I know the NHS is far from perfect too, but that sort of wait time is depressing. I'll be long gone from BC before the next appointment comes around.
On another note, I was called in to see my GP about a hip issue I had a consultation about 2 years ago. The orthopaedic consultant I saw then has moved away, so my GP wanted to inform me I'd been moved to the replacement consultants list, 'somewhere below his existing patients'. Estimated time for a consultation....another 2 years. I know the NHS is far from perfect too, but that sort of wait time is depressing. I'll be long gone from BC before the next appointment comes around.
#6
Re: A question for medical doctors.
I would be asking for a referral to a different specialist - no doubt the one your GP has decided on is their preferred one, but there are others.
Failing that - and if you could afford it - there's always this place, to get an assessment done; no referral required.
Home SRC: Specialist Referral Clinic - Vancouver, BC, Canada
Failing that - and if you could afford it - there's always this place, to get an assessment done; no referral required.
Home SRC: Specialist Referral Clinic - Vancouver, BC, Canada
No matter, ultimately I'll be back in the UK before I get another appointment and have to start the conversation there instead.
#8
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: A question for medical doctors.
I have definitely seen the one issue per visit notice before, but at my GP in the UK. We got incredibly lucky with our doctor here, he tends to be the one noting that routine checks are past due and will arrange whatever is needed in addition to sorting out what the visit was actually about.
As for the letter in the OP, I don't consider it to be very professional.
Rich, does the specialist have a cancel list at all? I had a specialist appointment that was booked 12 months from the referral, I called weekly and ended up being able to get in with about a 5 month wait due to cancellations.
#10
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: A question for medical doctors.
Kamloops has a shortage of orthopaedic consultants and anaesthetists, so the wait times are long, no matter which specialist you're referred to. There's no shortcut unfortunately. I've had an initial assessment, 2 years ago. It's gaulling to have to start the whole process again.
No matter, ultimately I'll be back in the UK before I get another appointment and have to start the conversation there instead.
No matter, ultimately I'll be back in the UK before I get another appointment and have to start the conversation there instead.
#11
Re: A question for medical doctors.
I've never seen anything like it anywhere. Just typed up notices about no longer faxing prescriptions - an appointment needed (presumably so the fee is claimed).
I imagine someone did it in response to several issues coming together in a short space of time.
The part that I thought was a bit rich was the reference to being paid the $30-$35 for seeing patients but not being paid for associated referrals or report completion. The clue is in the associated part.
I can't comment on whether the fee is "enough" but clearly it's recognised there's more to a consult than just the face to face and the other things are probably averaged and built in.
I think Stinky said he does much of his paperwork at the end of the day whereas Snoop does hers as she goes. I'm sure Stinky wouldn't want to claim additionally because he does his after hours.
Just an afterthought...I wonder how the admin staff feel about it. It seems to set them up as a potential 'grass'
I imagine someone did it in response to several issues coming together in a short space of time.
The part that I thought was a bit rich was the reference to being paid the $30-$35 for seeing patients but not being paid for associated referrals or report completion. The clue is in the associated part.
I can't comment on whether the fee is "enough" but clearly it's recognised there's more to a consult than just the face to face and the other things are probably averaged and built in.
I think Stinky said he does much of his paperwork at the end of the day whereas Snoop does hers as she goes. I'm sure Stinky wouldn't want to claim additionally because he does his after hours.
Just an afterthought...I wonder how the admin staff feel about it. It seems to set them up as a potential 'grass'
#13
#14
Re: A question for medical doctors.
I have twice seen the police called to the walk-in clinic in Orangeville after someone raised a second issue, the doctor declined to deal with it and the patient became belligerent. (Note that I'm not even a regular customer). On one occasion I was much amused when the receptionist said to me, mid-incident, "he thinks he can threaten me but he doesn't know where we came from". She is an Anglo-Indian who once lived near where I did but who finished her time in the UK on the rough streets of Maidenhead, Berks.
Quite recently I was at an emergency facility in the UK and was amused that the signage, warnings about not threatening the staff, was exactly the same as one sees in Canada. I wondered if there was a standard sign downloaded from DontHitTheMedicalStaff.com or similar.
Quite recently I was at an emergency facility in the UK and was amused that the signage, warnings about not threatening the staff, was exactly the same as one sees in Canada. I wondered if there was a standard sign downloaded from DontHitTheMedicalStaff.com or similar.
#15
Re: A question for medical doctors.
It seems to me that doctors are like all other self employed people, with the exception, I suspect, that they rarely have to chase the government for payment of monies owed. Just imagine how that "notice" would read if they had to complain about writing off unpaid bills too.