What to Expect From a Doctor Today?

[zaqxsw]

I'm thinking of changing doctors and just wonder if times have changed and I just have too high of an expectation anymore.

Currently, it seems like all my family practice doctor does is prescribe Rx's. Anything else gets referred to a specialist. In the past, I've had regular family doctors do diabetic foot exams, hernia checks, prostrate checks, EKG's, etc. all during a regular office visit if age, timing, symptoms, blood test results dictated. Even before COVID, I don't think my current doctor even touched me other to listen to my chest.

Pre-COVID, is this the norm now? With COVID, regular doctor visits are now online.

Thanks for any replies!

 

[grasshopper]

My GP in an internist, she still checks my feet and leg veins. She saves the prostate exam for the urologist. Ms G had a online visit and thought it worked fine.

 

[target2019]

Do I benefit from the knowledge of cardiologist, urologist, pulmonologist and oncologist? To a great extent.

 

[Car-Guy]

There are still some of the older GP's that will handle a lot of stuff. Not a lot but some... (I have one) One thing they all still practice is billing....

 

[Ronstar]

I just had my first Medicare wellness exam. Blood work, prostate exam and ekg. In the doctor’s office.

DW had her recent appt with her holistic dr on the phone after some blood work.

 

[walkinwood]

I'm thinking of changing doctors and just wonder if times have changed and I just have too high of an expectation anymore.

Currently, it seems like all my family practice doctor does is prescribe Rx's. Anything else gets referred to a specialist. In the past, I've had regular family doctors do diabetic foot exams, hernia checks, prostrate checks, EKG's, etc. all during a regular office visit if age, timing, symptoms, blood test results dictated. Even before COVID, I don't think my current doctor even touched me other to listen to my chest.

Pre-COVID, is this the norm now? With COVID, regular doctor visits are now online.

Thanks for any replies!

Keep changing your doctors until you find one you like or you run out of doctors in your area/plan. You're already paying for that privilege.

My GP does all that I think he should be doing.

 

[MRG]

I think it depends on a lot of factors. Our current PCP handles a lot of things others would be referred out to. We're in a rural area and getting to a specialist can be difficult. I've also had specialists in the area say try this medication instead of getting a test because you'll have to drive a day to get the test.

I think younger PCP are more referral inclined as a general rule.

 

[Bamaman]

My wife's main doctor is an internal medicine physician.

Unless he just has to see you, he's an internet doctor--looking at you online. And he's not going back to the old way of seeing patients. It's permanent, and he loves it.

Maybe that's the new normal for Family Practice doctors. If tests are required, he'll then see you in person--or send you to a national laboratory laboratory. One is in Walmart.

My wife also goes to a pain management doctor. They have also gone online and make you show and count the pills you have left over online. Every couple of months, you go in for a visit with a specialized Physician's Assistant and a drug test. The anesthesiologist is reserved to do back injections for the truly suffering.

 

[davebarnes]

I expect my Kaiser docs to respect me as a customer.
I am not a patient.

 

[badatmath]

I have always expected very little of my doctors. That way I am happily surprised when someone excels. You cannot see 2000 patients and remember them all. I try to stick to the point too and not ask about random things.

 

[bluelight]

I have an appt tomorrow with a new doctor because I am done with my current doctor. One thing I never took into account when we moved 4 years ago was that I would be missing the doctors that I had a 25 year relationship with. The internist I started seeing at our new home had been recommended to my husband by a walk in clinic when he was ill and for lack of anyone else, I started to also go there.

The entire appt is spent with him looking at his computer at test results and refilling medications. He will only renew prescriptions during an office visit, so one is required whenever refills are needed. Even prior to Covid there was no examination of me, only my test results.

So tomorrow, I start from scratch again. My daughter has used the new doctor and said she was very thorough. I hope that is really the case.

 

[braumeister]

Feeling bad/guilty when dissatisfied with your doctor seems common, because we sometimes tend to build a fairly personal relationship with them over time. But I think that's unnecessary. Your car is also important to you, and nobody would think twice about deciding to switch to a different mechanic/repair shop.

I had a 25 year relationship with my PCP and switched a few years ago because I was no longer satisfied with the level of care I got (and a couple of other reasons). I really liked the guy, and still do, but he no longer met my needs.

I interviewed 4 or 5 new docs, and picked the one who ticked all the right boxes. Several years later, I'm still sure I did the right thing.

 

[Dawg52]

I have an appt tomorrow with a new doctor because I am done with my current doctor. One thing I never took into account when we moved 4 years ago was that I would be missing the doctors that I had a 25 year relationship with. The internist I started seeing at our new home had been recommended to my husband by a walk in clinic when he was ill and for lack of anyone else, I started to also go there.

The entire appt is spent with him looking at his computer at test results and refilling medications. He will only renew prescriptions during an office visit, so one is required whenever refills are needed. Even prior to Covid there was no examination of me, only my test results.

That's basically all my PCP does. I started seeing him a couple of years ago thinking at my age it would be a good idea to hook up with a Dr as I had been seeing a Nurse Practitioner to that point. But I'm thinking of going back to the NP as she was just as through and was a lot easier to see. My annual blood work and computer laptop visit is in Oct so I may see the Dr one more time to see if it's any different.

 

[Time2]

There are still some of the older GP's that will handle a lot of stuff. Not a lot but some... (I have one) One thing they all still practice is billing....

Mine doesn't need practice, he's really good at it!

 

[zaqxsw]

I really appreciate all of the feedback. It gives me perspective. Thanks!

 

[RetMD21]

some of this stuff like routine hernia checks EKG etc isn't necessarily recommended anymore. Medicare and other insurers are looking at modification of codes for E&M visits starting in 2021. Perhaps the doctor's attention can be redirected to things the patient thinks are important.

 

[OldShooter]

In some geographic areas there is the option of "concierge medicine." For a fee the customer gets various benefits. In our case, one of the three docs in or program always carries a cell phone, so we have 24x7 access. We also get same-day appointments if we need them, appointments scheduled for an hour, very responsive staff where we are on a first-name basis, etc. When DW had her hip replaced our PCP monitored the computer entries and called her several times while she was in the hospital. He would have visted but there didn't end up being a reason for that. The nurses on the ward were blown away by the attention he paid.

Where do need specialists our doc will give us a name, not just send us to the specialist department to roll the dice on doctors.

So that is a possible workaround for doctor unhappiness, but at a cost.

 

[misanman]

How do you guys get bloodwork? My doc doesn't order any and claims they've always been normal so why repeat them. I'd just like to be aware if there are any changes. Guess I have to get sick for him to dig any deeper.

 

[Ian S]

My new Family Practice doctor (following our move to red rock country) and my previous Family Practice doctor in Phoenix are very much hands on and take plenty of time with their patients. I just had my annual wellness visit and he did the prostate exam as the previous doctor would also do. Both practices have a lot of seniors and both these docs are D.O.'s not M.D.'s. I had always thought that nowadays a D.O. and an M.D. are indistinguishable but perhaps D.O. training continues to instill a more holistic attitude towards the patient.

I prefer an actual doctor to a nurse practitioner or other medical professional based on my own experience with diagnosis of a neuroma. The non-doctor evaluating my problem couldn't figure out what the cause was and neither could another who was asked to evaluate me. Finally an MD was called in and it took only a couple of minutes for him to diagnose the problem as a neuroma and explain the treatment - by a specialist - needed.

 

[OldShooter]

How do you guys get bloodwork? My doc doesn't order any and claims they've always been normal so why repeat them. I'd just like to be aware if there are any changes. Guess I have to get sick for him to dig any deeper.

My doc orders about a half-dozen blood tests prior to my annual physical. The clinic's patient web page lets me look at history graphs on any of them up to the latest, even prior to seeing the doc. I get an email as each test is completed and posted.

Maybe you have the wrong doc?

 

[braumeister]

How do you guys get bloodwork? My doc doesn't order any and claims they've always been normal so why repeat them. I'd just like to be aware if there are any changes. Guess I have to get sick for him to dig any deeper.

I would find that very disturbing. The purpose of routine blood labs (I get them annually) is precisely to find any changes that you may not be aware of. My docs have always ordered them to be taken about a week prior to my visit. He may just be trying to save you some money, but I would wonder if maybe he just doesn't want to bother interpreting them for you. My docs have always gone over them with me line by line.

 

[misanman]

I would find that very disturbing. The purpose of routine blood labs (I get them annually) is precisely to find any changes that you may not be aware of. My docs have always ordered them to be taken about a week prior to my visit. He may just be trying to save you some money, but I would wonder if maybe he just doesn't want to bother interpreting them for you. My docs have always gone over them with me line by line.

Hard to say why, exactly. Visit usually consists of filling out forms, weighing, blood pressure check, and drawing the hands on a clock representing 11:50. So I've pretty much stopped going - been two years now.

 

[braumeister]

So I've pretty much stopped going - been two years now.

You might consider finding a new doc, because after all, your health is important to you. Try a younger one, not long out of medical school. I've generally found that they are eager to impress you with how much they can help you, so it's worth a try. As long as they're willing to actually listen to you (and not all are), then you most likely can't go wrong.

 

[badatmath]

I think bloodwork is not actually recommended yearly if you don't have medical conditions. I vaguely remember reading this somewhere and took it as insurance companies trying to save money. I have to be monitored for a med so I have had it every year since young kid.

 

[misanman]

I went to our "patient portal" and saw that my last blood work was in August of 2016. I think I remember the doc saying that I could get another one at five years.