What Happened to Doctors?

[Anonymous]

I feel we am no longer getting good care. My daughter’s pediatric GI for example only sees patients in person once a week. All her other appointments are virtual. I understand seeing patients once or twice a week virtually, but four times a week? Isn’t this a lot? I feel with pediatrics especially a physical exam is impossible. My PCP still doesn’t see patients with respiratory symptoms in person. I’ve been coughing for more than a month now and they refuse to see me in person. Our kids pediatrician only has two hours dedicated for sick visits and they are from 3-5 pm. The rest are for well visit. The two hour time limit makes it virtually impossible to get an appointment. If a child has respiratory symptoms they push you to go to urgent care. In the grand scheme of things I know this isn’t a big deal but I feel like seeing a doctor in person for certain complaints is getting to be harder and harder.

[Anonymous]

It seems that if you want what used to be normal healthcare, you have to concierge.

[Anonymous]

It’s a combination of COVID, the aging of the boomer doctors and stressful insurance rules.

You might be able to get a better experience with the right cash-only practice.

[Anonymous]

Let’s be honest: most docs trained in the last few decades don’t know what they are hearing through a stethoscope unless the diagnosis is “death.”

We have a problem here and it’s a lot bigger than in-person visit availability.

[Anonymous]

overhead is much higher since Obama care, so virtual visits probably save money. My doctors office shuttered. Could not afford the overhead, so they had to affiliate with a hospital. Other docs went concierge. That's the way it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems that if you want what used to be normal healthcare, you have to concierge.

This isn’t quite true. I have no problems getting fairly immediate call backs, telehealth appointments and sick visits for my kid at the pediatrician.

[Anonymous]

Where did all the doctors go, though? Did they go into other scientific fields like research?

I'm not talking about those who were unfortunately lost to covid.

My husband's PCP closed their office. He's searched for him to find out where he went and can't find anything. My husband received a letter that said due to rising healthcare costs, effective blah date, the practice would cease operations. Shouldn't he be able to still find him via Google? Like to whatever practice he may have joined. But he can't. So odd.

[Anonymous]

It's not doctors, it's the system in which they are operating. We pay for pretty much everything out of pocket now to have access.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let’s be honest: most docs trained in the last few decades don’t know what they are hearing through a stethoscope unless the diagnosis is “death.”

We have a problem here and it’s a lot bigger than in-person visit availability.

1000000% well said.

[Anonymous]

I’ve noticed a real decline in the quality of care, too. Even for routine visits with a doctor I’ve seen for years, everything just seems rushed and any concerns are dismissed as a natural consequence of aging. It’s very frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let’s be honest: most docs trained in the last few decades don’t know what they are hearing through a stethoscope unless the diagnosis is “death.”

We have a problem here and it’s a lot bigger than in-person visit availability.

Anonymous wrote:1000000% well said.

Well, then, not having access to them is no harm to the two of you. Excellent!

No harm, no foul.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where did all the doctors go, though? Did they go into other scientific fields like research?

I'm not talking about those who were unfortunately lost to covid.

My husband's PCP closed their office. He's searched for him to find out where he went and can't find anything. My husband received a letter that said due to rising healthcare costs, effective blah date, the practice would cease operations. Shouldn't he be able to still find him via Google? Like to whatever practice he may have joined. But he can't. So odd.

They retired! They have QUIT DOCTORING. They are done practicing and not available to be Googled.

Honestly it sounds like people posting here have no idea how screwed up the health care workforce is rn. The denial is strong.

[Anonymous]

Way too much paperwork, insurance companies fighting them tooth and nail over reimbursement, patients that have become increasingly condescending, overhead costs skyrocketing, difficulty keeping clinical staff, Covid burnout for docs and nurses, no one wants to work in person anymore so there goes front desk staff, long hours, difficult work life balance ( can’t pick up your sick kid from school when you’ve got back to back double booked patients and working through your lunch hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let’s be honest: most docs trained in the last few decades don’t know what they are hearing through a stethoscope unless the diagnosis is “death.”

We have a problem here and it’s a lot bigger than in-person visit availability.

Anonymous wrote:1000000% well said.

Well, then, not having access to them is no harm to the two of you. Excellent!

No harm, no foul.

Oh, it’s plenty of harm. They can’t diagnose abnormal heart sounds via stethoscopes, but they sure as God made little green apples can send you for a merry-go-round of defensive testing that costs $$$, does not improve care, and clogs up the system for people who really need it and could benefit from it—despite the practice of the physical exam being this deteriorated. It’s a problem for everyone using the health care system. And that means all of us.

[Anonymous]

Agree it has gotten ridiculous. We are lucky - we have a great pediatric urgent care near us and they’ve become our go-to over the pediatrician for anything symptomatic. Ped is not helpful except for getting shots.