topic Re: New Change In Hospital Organization? in Community Chat

New Change In Hospital Organization?

ECBG — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 19:58:05 GMT

I am wondering if any of you have run across this business model in health care?

Story:

Two weeks ago, DH was in the hospital, I fell down the dark bedroom stairs a 4am (Shadow had to potty) forgetting to turn the light on.

Both ankles were swollen (one had a bone chip), my back was very sore, and I heard several (cracks) out of my neck.

My DIL took me to urgent care who took foot x rays and gave me a light weight boot; making me an appt with the ortho place upstairs for a hard boot.

The ortho place with a walk in clinic, (appointments come from new appointments and rechecks) told me EACH area that I want looked at will be a separate appointment!

"We can only look at one body part at a time.".

That means I will have 4 copays for one situation in addition to copays for rechecks for a possible total of 8!

Our health care system was bought by another group several years ago. I have spoken to nurses that are very unhappy.

The company also bought other hospitals around us as well.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

NicksmomESQ — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:34:11 GMT

If you went in stating all your injuries at one time they should take it as one visit. These doctors offices are acting more like corporations than healthcare facilities.

A few years ago my DH had to see an orthopedist for sciatica & back & knee pain. I went into the exam room with him,where a PA came in & asked a lot of questions. We were very clear about all the areas my husband was experiencing his pain. The doctor came in examined him, gave him some meds & said to come back in 2 weeks.

When we went back the sciatica was better but his knee was worse. The doctor said that was something new & he had to make another appointment & come back.Well I objected & told him it was mentioned & recorded at the first visit. The doctor & PA denied it. I insisted. The doctor called for the records from the first visit to be printed out & showed it to us. Guess what? I found the mention of his knee pain!! The doctor turned red & proceeded to X-ray my DH's knee. He prescribed PT & said if it doesn't work he would need an MRI. After 12 weeks of PT his knee was as good as new!!

@ECBG If the doctor is going to make you come back for every complaint you have,I would find a new doctor. You have to be your own advocate. I'm sorry you were hurt. I hope you feel better soon!

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

On It — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:19:55 GMT

i hope you and your husband are on the mend. It sounds like a nightmare. Being sick or injured is now complicated by corporate bureaucratic policies.

The hospitals in our area are being swallowed by corporate takeovers. There is a video game about fish where the fish eats a smaller fish. It increases size. It keeps eating fish and growing until a giant one swoops in and gobbles him up. The smaller hospitals are disappearing. What were independent major medical facilities are now being bought by out-of-state conglomerates. They are bringing new rules, regulations, computer systems, and time constraints on doctor/patient visits.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

MamaWick — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:24:11 GMT

I think that's bull $%@# and should be reported somewhere.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

AZfem — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:28:59 GMT

Can you get a referral from your primary care dr. to an ortho on your plan? Don't use the urgent care drs. Find your own. Good luck with healing & feel better.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

Sage04 — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:35:44 GMT

@ECBG why a walk in clinic? I would prefer to see a private ortho. I wonder if that's why it's done this way?

Hope the back pain goes away so you don't have to have it looked it. Hope it's just sore and nothing serious.

Those Clinics are there to make money. Just last week I took someone who was visiting from oversees to a Clinic and before she could see the Dr, she had to pay $150 and if anything else had to be done it would cost more. I remember when it was $50 but now it's $150. It ended up costing her $210 because he had to listen to her heart and prescribe medication. It's a big rip off.

Steward Health Care is certainly taking over everywhere.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

ECBG — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:35:48 GMT

@AZfem wrote:
Can you get a referral from your primary care dr. to an ortho on your plan? Don't use the urgent care drs. Find your own. Good luck with healing & feel better.

@AZfem

No, not really. My Dr has only been here since the pandemic. The really good one retired. This one dosen't give out any info. I have to ask a direct question.

There is another one I like 1 mile further. Same story.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

chrystaltree — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:36:16 GMT

It's not a business model. It's about where you chose to go. Why didn't you go to a hospital emergency room? Your injuries certainly warranted an emergency room. In the ER, all the specialists would have assessed you and treated you . They would have done all the necessary X-rays. You went to an urgent care facility which usually isn't equipped for injuries like yours, they did an assessment and the orthopedic doc took care of the foot and determined that you needed to see other orthopeds for the other injuries. So, yes. Multiple appointments with separate copays..

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

Sage04 — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:37:20 GMT

@AZfem wrote:
Can you get a referral from your primary care dr. to an ortho on your plan? Don't use the urgent care drs. Find your own. Good luck with healing & feel better.

@AZfem that's what I was thinking also.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

bikerbabe — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:38:06 GMT

I’m sorry!

From my experience, there are a couple of factors and play:

1 - insurance driven both for multiple charges but also the doctors are severely limited by how much time they can spend with each patient. With multiple areas of concern, they can’t address it in the time allotted and insurance won’t allow for the billing in one visit.

2- orthopedists tend to specialize in certain body parts. Someone who deals with backs, won’t treat hand injuries etc.

3- you can experience similar issues if you require PT. You may have multiple appointments focusing on each body part. insurance won’t allow them to bill and spend the time in one visit.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

bikerbabe — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:39:13 GMT

PS

I would check with other orthopedic groups in your area.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

ECBG — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:39:56 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
It's not a business model. It's about where you chose to go. Why didn't you go to a hospital emergency room? Your injuries certainly warranted an emergency room. In the ER, all the specialists would have assessed you and treated you . They would have done all the necessary X-rays. You went to an urgent care facility which usually isn't equipped for injuries like yours, they did an assessment and the orthopedic doc took care of the foot and determined that you needed to see other orthopeds for the other injuries. So, yes. Multiple appointments with separate copays..

@chrystaltree

The urgent care is 5 minutes away. The hospital is a 4+ hr to be seen. I'm always so healthy, I had no clue!

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

Sage04 — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:41:05 GMT

@ECBG wrote:
@AZfem wrote:
Can you get a referral from your primary care dr. to an ortho on your plan? Don't use the urgent care drs. Find your own. Good luck with healing & feel better.
@AZfem

No, not really. My Dr has only been here since the pandemic. The really good one retired. This one dosen't give out any info. I have to ask a direct question.

There is another one I like 1 mile further. Same story.

@ECBG if you can find an Ortho in your plan, and you need a referral, your Primary Care Doctor will have to give you the referral. I don't think he has a choice.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

Love my grandkids — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:43:29 GMT

@NicksmomESQ Good for you! It's so important for us, and especially us older folks (I'm 75) to be pro-active when it comes to health care.

I posted last December that I finally fired my ophthalmologist who was a good doc but had a rotten personality and I grew to actively dislike him and got sick of seeing him. I made an appointment with my BIL's doctor and love him and he's just been great.

I also switched from my gastro doc to another in the group who did my first co lonoscopy in 2017 and gave me my cancer diagnosis and whom I've seen a couple of times since. I have no regrets. I tried to talk to the first one about something serious and she simply ignored me and pooh-poohed my concerns. I'm happy with my new doc.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

Mindy D — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:56:19 GMT

@ECBG wrote:
I am wondering if any of you have run across this business model in health care?

Story:
Two weeks ago, DH was in the hospital, I fell down the dark bedroom stairs a 4am (Shadow had to potty) forgetting to turn the light on.
Both ankles were swollen (one had a bone chip), my back was very sore, and I heard several (cracks) out of my neck.
My DIL took me to urgent care who took foot x rays and gave me a light weight boot; making me an appt with the ortho place upstairs for a hard boot.

The ortho place with a walk in clinic, (appointments come from new appointments and rechecks) told me EACH area that I want looked at will be a separate appointment!

"We can only look at one body part at a time.".

That means I will have 4 copays for one situation in addition to copays for rechecks for a possible total of 8!

Our health care system was bought by another group several years ago. I have spoken to nurses that are very unhappy.
The company also bought other hospitals around us as well.

@ECBG The hospitals near me would not let you leave the ER without imaging if you were to tell them you heard several cracks in your neck and if your back was very sore. They would have done imaging before deciding if you could leave.

About 50 years ago, a friend of my husband's was brought to the ER by paramedics after he was in a car accident. He was treated and imaged in the ER. I don't know what type of imaging he had. It might have just been X-rays. After being treated, he was told he could leave and he was picked up by his parents and taken home. Early the next morning, the phone rang and it was the hospital telling him he had to comeback in because they noticed he had a broken neck! Apparently, whoever was supposed to read the X-rays or whatever they used, did not notice the break.

He spent the next months wearing some large halo device to hold his head in place and protect his neck and head. Very lucky he had no paralysis.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

AZfem — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 21:00:10 GMT

@ECBG Sounds like you live in a small town or rural area. You may have to look further afield like the closest bigger city. Go online & research orthos in a 20-50 mile radius, call your insurance & see who's on your plan. Ask people you know or medical professionals (nurses know a lot about who's good).

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

Trinity11 — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 21:06:23 GMT

@ECBG wrote:
I am wondering if any of you have run across this business model in health care?

Story:
Two weeks ago, DH was in the hospital, I fell down the dark bedroom stairs a 4am (Shadow had to potty) forgetting to turn the light on.
Both ankles were swollen (one had a bone chip), my back was very sore, and I heard several (cracks) out of my neck.
My DIL took me to urgent care who took foot x rays and gave me a light weight boot; making me an appt with the ortho place upstairs for a hard boot.

The ortho place with a walk in clinic, (appointments come from new appointments and rechecks) told me EACH area that I want looked at will be a separate appointment!

"We can only look at one body part at a time.".

That means I will have 4 copays for one situation in addition to copays for rechecks for a possible total of 8!

Our health care system was bought by another group several years ago. I have spoken to nurses that are very unhappy.
The company also bought other hospitals around us as well.

I remember @ECBG you said you had arthritis? Don't you have an orthopedist for that health issue?

Call your primary if not. You need to see a board certified orthopedist as follow up. The treatment you received about separate co-pays sounds like a real scam.🥺

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

DrakesMomma — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 21:09:19 GMT

Neck and ankles - I would understand 2 different appointments as those are different specialties.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

AZfem — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 21:26:56 GMT

@Love my grandkids I wonder if we have the same ophthalmologist! I can't stand mine either. He gets all these "best of the city" awards & is a good surgeon but horrible bedside manner. People hate him in his reviews. One time he was looking at my eyes thru viewer & running out of the room at the same time never to return! They put 4 people in rooms for same appt. time.

Re: New Change In Hospital Organization?

ECBG — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 21:26:54 GMT

@Trinity11

I went to the neurologist 2 wks ago, and they shocked my arm in several places. I had total feeling.

Then they inserted a small needle every inch from my wrist to my hairline (not fun in the least), total feeling.

Everyone thought it was arthritis; turns out I have a mass of nerves in my left shoulder from a previous injury when I thought it was a sore muscle.