Midwest Chick's Place

(A.K.A. Non-Original Rants)

–Co-opting good stuff from all over the ‘Net and maybe some original thoughts—ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

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Our medical system

Wasn’t feeling well last week. Sore throat and tired. Thought it might be strep.

Get ahold of Telehealth:

Can you take a picture of your throat? After a couple of tries the answer was a definitive ‘no’. So, punt on the Telehealth, head to UrgentCare.

UrgentCare:

After standing and talking to the girl at the counter for about ten minutes updating my information.

Okay, so please go ahead and grab a mask while you wait.

Nope. I’ve been talking to you about two feet apart for the last ten minutes. At this point, why would a mask be needed?

Fast strep negative, culture taken for slow test.

Two days later, Telehealth:

How are you feeling?

Worse than I did before. Now it’s in my sinuses and I have a bit of a cough. Fast strep negative, waiting for culture.

Did you test to see if it’s covid or the flu?

Why on this good green earth would I do that? The symptoms are the same as are the treatments. It doesn’t matter except to feed the public health data collection machine. (I get cranky when sick.)

….

Did they give you antibiotics while you’re waiting for the culture?

No, and I wouldn’t take them if they had. If it’s not bacterial, why would I mess up my internal flora by taking antibiotics without knowing if they are necessary? It’s why we have antibiotic resistant germs.

…

Okay, well I hope you feel better!

These just exemplify the basic issues with our system as it is now. Accessible and chirpy but really not useful and a lot of unnecessary and stupid steps. And they really don’t know what to do if someone goes off-script.

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Midwest Chick

21 responses to “Our medical system”

  1. mark Avatar
    mark

    Well done, Amiga! Way to resist stupid blanket prescriptions!

    I will don a mask when I am sick and around other folks so as to reduce the flying snot and fluids. However I know they don’t stop virii, like a chain link fence doesn’t stop raindrops.

    Hope ya heal soon.

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  2. Matthew W Avatar
    Matthew W

    Nice bedside manner…………………….

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  3. Midwest Chick Avatar
    Midwest Chick

    mark–At that point I wasn’t snotty or coughing or anything. Nothing to show that it was an upper respiratory anything.

    Matthew–They were fine, but it just struck me as dumb. I’m not a good sick person.

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  4. wv citybilly Avatar
    wv citybilly

    Just for the sake of asking, does your HVAC filter need replacing?

    AI
    ” .. a heater can dry out your throat by reducing the humidity in the air, which irritates nasal and throat passages, and by circulating dust, pollen, and other allergens that can cause an inflammatory reaction.”

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    1. Midwest Chick Avatar
      Midwest Chick

      wv–Just replaced it. And I’ve been boiling water on the stove as well. But excellent thought!

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  5. Silliest Avatar
    Silliest

    I got nothing. Hope you feel better despite the “usefulness” of your healthcare providers…

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  6. Unferth Avatar
    Unferth

    What was the old joke, with the doctor I can kick the cold in 7 days. Without the doctor, it takes a full week.

    The fun part is that AI will replace telehealth … and Google will be equal to your doctor’s medical degree.

    Hope you feel better soon.

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  7. boneman1959 Avatar
    boneman1959

    “Let’s hear it for the medical profession, 1… 2… 3…!!! (long raspberry)!!!!” – Archie Bunker

    It held true then. It’s even more poignant now.

    If you look at the sheer amount of support staff that a single Doctor must have to keep up with “paperwork” pursuant to “regulation” and “codes” any more… every single “human” involved capable of “Human Error” it boggles the mind what goes on.

    I have a friend who is a PROFESSOR at a local College. She teaches? Medical CODING. Really. A COLLEGE LEVEL COURSE… in Medical CODING. That’s the level of complexity. Degree of Difficulty? I assisted this lady in getting a patent granted for a very specialized MEDICAL CODING KEYBOARD.

    Yesterday, The Mrs. spoke with many different “Medical” persons and was expecting Return Telephone Calls from no less than SIX by “end of day”.

    How many did she receive? You CAN’T count them on a single hand unless you hand has ZERO fingers.

    I feel your frustration… and hope you’re on the mend. Tracking one’s personal “Health Care” becomes a full-time job in and of itself… eventually.

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  8. Don Curton Avatar
    Don Curton

    Unferth – the last few times I went in (I go maybe once a year), I’ll go in and say here are my symptoms and here’s what the internet says I have. The doctor politely chastises me for using Google, says it’s never correct, and then admits that maybe I just got lucky cause I was completely correct. All I really needed was their signature for a prescription.

    My wife tried that teledoc thing, I guess it worked ok. IDK, if someone can diagnose me over the phone, I’d just as soon look it up on Google myself. They should release a lot more drugs to OTC status and we could stop going to the doctor for most of the common ailments.

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  9. Matthew W Avatar
    Matthew W

    “Nice bedside manner…………………….”
    No, you …………………………….

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  10. Nemo Avatar
    Nemo

    As a rule since way before Covid, whenever I get feeling poorly, I double up my Vit C from 500mg 2X to 500mg 4X and I gargle with regular mouth wash at least twice per day.

    For the added Vit C I use a quick dissolve pill that sort of coats my throat as it dissolves in my mouth. Don’t drink anything for 15 min. after dissolve.

    Also, really monitor your liquid intake to be sure you’re getting enough. Coffee, tea, water doesn’t matter. Get at least 50 oz/day.

    Some people also swear by Apple Cider vinegar, lemon and honey. You can find various concoctions online.

    Anyway, hope you’re feeling better.

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  11. Redknife Avatar
    Redknife

    Th Universal Antidote


    Haven’t been sick in years

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    1. Midwest Chick Avatar
      Midwest Chick

      Redknife–Interesting. I’ll look into it.

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  12. Midwest Chick Avatar
    Midwest Chick

    Silliest–Still on the mend. Much better though.

    Unferth–At this point it can’t get much worse. Docs are being trained by AI anyway. Thanks!

    boneman–Another product of government and insurance company meddling.

    Don–Agree on the OTC medications. There’s so much that’s under lock and key that is ready accessible in other countries.

    Matthew–Ah! I was barely polite, but maintained….

    Nemo–I do double my vitamin C and go with oil of oregano and plenty of water.

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  13. Bjorn Frei Avatar
    Bjorn Frei

    July 21st I took myself to the ER due to a new severe pain. That is when I found out I have kidney stones of up to 12 mm.

    Two weeks later a trip to the urologist.
    Five weeks more for a cardiac screening.
    (passed with flying colors.)

    Thiety-two days after that for the procedure. That is, I have been told to expect that day. Procedure still in the future, i. e. not yet performed.

    That’s over five months. Risk of ischemia be damned.

    I strongly suspect, to a near certainty, that if I had the concierage coverage my friend has, this all would have happened in one week time.

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  14. Bjorn Frei Avatar
    Bjorn Frei

    What gripes me is whether in person or through their portal, the patient must fill in the required information.
    Then when the patient either presents themself ti the front desk or the gal in the exam room, they ask for all of that information again!

    I think no one even reads any of that to which you devoted your precious time to complete.

    The time stealer, er, doctor will see you now.

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  15. TRoy Avatar
    TRoy

    My wife, this summer, had an anaphylactic reaction to bee stings for the first time in her life. When she started complaining about her lips tingling and tightness in her throat, I thought- oh boy. Enroute to the ER I called 911. They asked if I wanted an ambulance- I told them that I could get there faster than a ambulance could transition, as it was only 2 miles away. They said they would call ahead to the ER for me. My wife has one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel when we make it through the doors. Not a soul in sight. Drill Instructor mode activated, and people began to appear. Security told me that it wasn’t necessary to yell. I told him that apparently that is what was required to get anyone to do anything around here. The Er Doc was asking me about intubation and tracheotomies, and if I felt it was necessary. No shit. I told him yeah- if it becomes medically necessary- do what you gotta do. Thank God for Epinephrine. That turned it around after several doses. Don’t be afraid to take charge in a hospital if no one acts like they know how. What were they gonna do- take away my birthday for not being polite?

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    1. crazyeighter Avatar
      crazyeighter

      “take away my birthday”
      Haven’t heard that phrase in a while.

      Back in my Navy days, our squadron deployed via chartered jet from Moffett to Misawa. It was the day before one of our troop’s birthday. When we landed, it was the day after.
      So yes, they CAN take away your birthday.

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      1. Midwest Chick Avatar
        Midwest Chick

        crazyeighter–Interesting!

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  16. TRoy Avatar
    TRoy

    The wife made cookies for the medical staff the following week with instructions to give none to the security dude.

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  17. Midwest Chick Avatar
    Midwest Chick

    Bjorn–Yeah, the right plan means everything. I know someone who was on the state plan and they were able to get stuff done that I never could in a faster timeframe. And yes, the paperwork is nuts and duplicative.

    TRoy–Good thing you were there. Frightening that the doc was asking you to direct the course of treatment. And I think that ER security dudes are the butt of many jokes for many reasons.

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