MSP & Dr. Visits etc....

[Triple 6]

A friend of mine broke her toe (assuming because the Dr would not take xrays thank goodness) she is American, so she likes the "free" healthcare. I asked her why you would go to the Dr for your toe. Her reply was it was purple. Um yeah so? He won't xray it, He'll tell you to tape it up and carry one. Which he did. All while walking away, shaking his head and mumbling this is why I get the big bucks. Which baffled her.

So my question is, people are always babbling on about taxes getting higher and higher? Do they ever stop to think that maybe they are part of the problem?

So why do you go to the Dr? Do you try and solve the problem on your own ie: cold meds, cough syrup etc...
Or do you go to the Dr for any little thing?

[animal lover1]

The other half is always bustin my chops for only going when near death...there are two ends of the spectrum. Hypochondriacs cost lots, but what does it cost when things go undiagnosed until they are very serious..

Prevention? Or Treatment after sickness?

[Triple 6]

The other half is always bustin my chops for only going when near death...there are two ends of the spectrum. Hypochondriacs cost lots, but what does it cost when things go undiagnosed until they are very serious..

Prevention? Or Treatment after sickness?

I agree. I only go to the Dr when I half too. Near Death sounds about right.

[mlsram]

I only go if I absolutely have too or if I need good drugs.

[Jo]

Great thread, Trip! It's unbelievable, the people who abuse the system. A kid gets a cold or the 'flu, and the parent rushes him to the doctor. It's nuts.

[Steve from Canada]

I only ever go to the hospital/walk-in when I believe it is absolutely necessary. Triple6, about your story with your friends broken toe, there was nothing wrong with her going to the doctor to get that looked at. One thing i've learned when it comes to personal health, never rely on your friends advice, unless they happen to be a doctor.

[justmyopinion]

I think the system is over used as well...there are some people I hear saying they are constantly going to the doctor...the last time I went my doctor said he thought I had found a new doctor cause it been so long since he'd last seen me....lol....although, I think I would go for a broken toe, only cause I wouldn't really know what to do about it...lol

[Triple 6]

I only ever go to the hospital/walk-in when I believe it is absolutely necessary. Triple6, about your story with your friends broken toe, there was nothing wrong with her going to the doctor to get that looked at. One thing i've learned when it comes to personal health, never rely on your friends advice, unless they happen to be a doctor.

I beg to differ. I have broken many of bones, countless. Toes cannot be fixed by a Dr. Especially one toe. Any person can google it on the net and know what to do. If I went to the Dr everytime I hurt myself, I should just live there.
Also my post didn't state giving her any advice. She sought medical advice before I heard about it.

[justmyopinion]

Yikes Trip! You play hard!

[Triple 6]

Yikes Trip! You play hard!

Only sometimes.

[Lady tehMa]

I once got a nasty letter from MSP about the number of doctors I had seen within a 3 month period of time . . . they got a nasty letter right back.

Situation: pregnant. My gp (Doc 1) doesn't do births. So I am referred to a set of doctors within the practice. Doc 2 takes me for a while, then goes on Mat leave. Doc 3 takes over. Then I go over due. So I need to see an obgyn. I choose a doc (Specialist 1) whom I've heard good things about. Make the appointment - they know my story. Have appointment. End of appointment, Specialist 1 tells me he is going on vacation, and so transfers me to Specialist 2 (who had VERY cold hands >_<). Meanwhile, Doc 3 goes on vacation and transfers me to Doc 4. Finally, get sent to hospital to be induced. Doc 4 and Specialist 2 agree that it will take me days to give birth. Took me 7 hours. And my baby was delivered by an Intern.

So really, was ANY of that my fault? I am not one for running to the doc for the least little thing, but the moral of the story is don't give birth during summer vacation . . .

[Triple 6]

So really, was ANY of that my fault? I am not one for running to the doc for the least little thing, but the moral of the story is don't give birth during summer vacation . . .

Well kind off, you wanted to have a summer baby! NO, not your fault. Lack of communication in the field I suspect. That would pee me off royally and yep I would send a nasty letter back.

For me, it is the people that go for such simple issues. Like Jo said, kids with a common cold or flu, the DR can do nothing for you. The pharmacist can tell you what meds you may need for that situation. The Doctor does not prescripe meds for such things. So why waste everyone's time and money?

[mountain_climber4567]

She should have called a "toe truck" and went home to a bag of frozen peas.

[Lady tehMa]

Well, if we could set a guaranteed conception date I'd bet you wouldn't see many summer babies! (Heat + pregnancy = major suckage). The person who can figure that one out will be an instant millionaire . . .

You have a point though Trip - I am constantly surprised at what I see people in walk-in for. Chatting with one mom in walk-in, "my baby isn't acting right, I'm sure there is something wrong!". I was there to get my hubby who'd lost a (small) part of a finger in a work accident (3 months off work and a significant skin graft later he's fine. I've been for concussed kids, for what I thought was a sprain on a kid (turned out to be a break). I've been for pneumonia and bronchitis. I've taken my kids to emerg for ear infections ('cause they always hit when everything is closed and I can't take the screaming, it shreds your soul). But a case of the sniffles? A broken toe? Not so much.

I think we are very dependent upon our health care system. Maybe too much so. But I am awful glad to have it. Maybe we need to educate people to handle their own small sicknesses, many people have no clue how to.

[Glacier]

I don't think I have ever visited the doctor in my life. Wasn't even born in a hospital. ...

I take that back, as I remember now that I did go to a walk-in once to see about a skin rash on my hand. Looking back, it was a waste of time. The doc said he didn't know what it was, so he wrote me a bunch of prescriptions to cover all possible problems (fungal, viral, bacterial, and what-have-you).

Well, I took one look at his hand writing and decided the pharmacist wouldn't have a clue what it said either, so I decided to do nothing about it unless it got worse. After a few days, my skin cleared up.

It is probably fair to say I have cost the medical system 50% of the costs associated with having children, but not with our first child. Because it took my wife several years to immigrate to Canada, our oldest was born before my wife was covered by BC Med, so we had to pay out of pocket for doctor visits and the birth. $200 per doctor visit and several thousand for the birth.