I have had some bad medical experiences lately that I want to share in this blog.
Before we get started there is a basic principle that most of us use before we spend our hard earned money and that is, "Is it worth it or not?" This is what we have a brain for and that is what makes us humans. To answer that simple question we first have to know what something costs and second we need to know what the benefits are. With me so far on this one? Now to my medical experience.
My first one was when I went to the doctor for a back ache. It seemed clearly a pulled muscle from cutting firewood that turned out to be cured with two Aleve. The doctor, however did a high tech scan that cost about $4,000. I did not pay the bill! Do you think that the doctor had any idea what the procedure cost or what the benefits were? No way.
I had another problem when I went to Urgent Care for diarrhea. The doctor had no idea what the procedure would cost, yet they ran several tests that in the judgement of doctor were "negative". I could never find out why those tests were run or what the possible out comes were. I know that most test results are "analog" so how sure was the doctor that the tests were negative? Further, the doctor listened to my heart and detected a "murmur" and insisted that I see a heart specialist for which no one had any idea what the cost would be. I still have the original diarrhea that I went in for and I got no treatment for that except that I should see my "general" doctor, whoever that is.
Now, back to basics. Shouldn't doctors be making decisions just like we all make decisions on the basis of, "is is it worth it or not?" I can still remember the days when doctors made house calls and you paid the bill before he left your house. What has happened? Now we have a bunch of specialists and there is no one minding the store. How do we get back our medical system? Here is what we all should start doing.
(1) Ask the doctor what the visit is going to cost.
(2) Ask why they are doing this or that test.
(3) Ask what are the possible out comes and the probability of each.
(4) Ask about the treatment if they have positive results and what the chances of a cure are?
It appears that the doctors assume that your life and health are priceless and any cost would be worth it, but we know that the world is not perfect and we have to fit it and get the value that we can afford.
