Mar 10 2009
The System is Broken
Yesterday, my family spent almost half the day acquiring a medical device for Tina that was nearly impossible to get, and once we arrived home, turned out to be improperly set-up, causing her to be on the phone for yet another hour with the manufacturer.
Today, I spent $110, and worse, three hours of my time, to go see a registered nutritionist at Cedars Sinai (the pinnacle of L.A. medicine), who, I swear, knew less about Celiac Disease than I’ve learned by myself in three weeks.
I personally know wonderfully gifted doctors, nurses, specialists and technicians working all across the field of medicine, and have benefited from a great many more in my lifetime that I can’t possibly remember. And yet, sometimes, it seems those folks are an unfortunate minority hidden amidst a swell of growing incompetence and buck passing inundating the entire health care industry.
And please, don’t even get me started on insurance companies…….
Speaking of Cedars Sinai…Dennis Quaid was on Opera yesterday talking about a medial mistake the hospital made when their twins were born. I’ve included a link to an article that discusses what happened. Pretty interestign and scary stuff! They even said that three times a day surgeons perform wrong site surgerys. Nice huh!http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/13/60minutes/main3936412.shtml?source=mostpop_story
I understand that mistakes happen and am much more concerned when people don’t even try or are ok with being incompetent. I can’t imagine how scary that whole situation must have been for Dennis Quaid and his wife but he actually isn’t suing Cedars but rather the manufacturer for not properly labeling the dispensing units supplied with that particular drug.
Brad – yes – you know more about your condition than any doctor ever will. This is because unless you need surgery or something expensive, it’s just not that important to medicine. You will find FAR more help in alternative treatments (I know a GREAT acupuncturist) and talking to other people with your condition. I know because I have never had such great health until I started talking to the alternative medical provider who is a consultant for our show. Now I am a believer – fish oil, folic acid, vitamin B, cook your veggies, don’t eat white flour and know when to drink something hot and when to drink something cold (nearly never). Anyway, I could go on and on – but you will always be more interested in your own health than anyone else. The better you know your own body the better off you will be. As for cost, yes, as we grow older (I know! But we are!) you have to prioritize for health. Because it’s really worth it. And as for the system being broken – it’s broken BECAUSE of insurance – and litigation. A whole ‘notha thread…
Hey Moira, I learned that I’ll be more aware of my condition and my body than doctors will a long time ago with asthma. Still, I had hoped a trained, licensed, nutritionist, who like, helps people find what to eat for a living, especially those with food allergies, might be able to do more than hand me a few photo copies that my doctor gave me when I was diagnosed. And perhaps, a tech working in a cardiac wing should know how to prepare an event recorder for a patient to take home. In back to back days, that was quite frustrating.
Regarding alternative treatments, etc….I’m always willing to explore and learn. Any ideas where to start?