paula - docs of the olden days

[Guest guest]

My husband and I talk often about how medicine has changed for the worse. Seems

like

the pharmaceutical industry and insurance companies may as well run the medical

schools

these days since the newer docs seem to think they exist just to write

prescriptions or do

invasive surgeries. I can't even imagine what it would be like to get a house

call. My first

really, really bad flare (two weeks ago), I don't think I could've made it to

the ER if I'd

wanted to! I'd pay out of pocket to have care available to me 24/7 from a group

of nurse

practitioners. RNPs seem to have the " feel " that docs " way back when " did. I'd

LOVE to

know more about what your in-laws have to say about medicine then versus

now......

I'm very blessed to have this time with my in-laws. They

> are wonderful people, both retired doctors. We've been having lots of

> interesting conversations about medicine and the way it used to be.

> They are both in their late 80's so they have a lot to tell.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I thought I would share this with you. I just recently had to change doctor

because mine did not take insurance of any kind. Since I had been with him for

almost 45

years I really did not want to change. Not taking insurance made it impossible

for to stay with him. He was a doctor who answered his own phone all the time

day or

night. He did have an answering service but didn't use it a lot. You didn't

get 15 minutes with an office visit. You got what was needed, many times him

and I would

just sit and talk maybe 2 hours. Depending who he had sitting in the office.

He kept all the records on index cards, and could retrieve anything at the drop

of a hat.

He also made house calls every Wednesday or as needed. When I was in the

hospital on Christmas day a few years ago, yes he was there too. He is most

certainly a dying

breed. I could tell fewer and fewer people were coming to him, again the

insurance issue. Who can afford to see a doctor who doesn't take insurance,

very few. He just

retired on January 1. Something I know he did not want to do but with

operational cost and malpractice insurance, he couldn't keep his door open. He

has told me, to

call whenever I need anything, he will be there.

It is a shame that here was a wonderful and rare doctor and insurance put him

out of business. When I was so very ill with stomach issues he was there

completely and

totally. I feel I might not have made it, if it wasn't for him.

Lynn (MeMom)

" R. Peek " wrote:

> My husband and I talk often about how medicine has changed for the worse.

Seems like

> the pharmaceutical industry and insurance companies may as well run the

medical schools

> these days since the newer docs seem to think they exist just to write

prescriptions or do

> invasive surgeries. I can't even imagine what it would be like to get a house

call. My first

> really, really bad flare (two weeks ago), I don't think I could've made it to

the ER if I'd

> wanted to! I'd pay out of pocket to have care available to me 24/7 from a

group of nurse

> practitioners. RNPs seem to have the " feel " that docs " way back when " did.

I'd LOVE to

> know more about what your in-laws have to say about medicine then versus

now......

>

>

> I'm very blessed to have this time with my in-laws. They

> > are wonderful people, both retired doctors. We've been having lots of

> > interesting conversations about medicine and the way it used to be.

> > They are both in their late 80's so they have a lot to tell.

>

>