Guest guest Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 My heart goes out to all who are struggling. le, be well. Jeanne, you have been my idol and I just wonder what can I say or do that will help. I love Kathy's, Matt's and Sharlene's advice. The patients are getting more and more demanding -- and I'm getting tighter with the boundaries -- sending out no show fees, demanding that patients make choices rather than keep trying to blame me. But I too have been angry and resentful the past month so I'm trying to go back to the serenity prayer -- fix what I can and let go what is not my responsibility and try very, very hard not to get entangled in patient's helplessness and expecting rescue which is co-dependency not teamwork. Thank you to all who shared as I thought it was me. When I get this burned out (and I am not in the red[except taxes] and have paid and unpaid help so I count my blessings) I know I need to do a better job of holding my boundaries. I'm fearful I'll never have a good balance but I will never go back to working for someone else. I will work on efficiency. To me doing chart audits isn't efficient. I ignore them and some of them do go away. The others who persist I tell the requesters once -- tell me what you need --- I'll pull HgbA1C or immunizations, etc but I do not send 1-2 years of charts or charts I sent you last year. For DME junk (see previous posts) I have to make a paper form and quickly fill it out and fax it the old way. (I find flipping through computer pages much harder than flipping through paper!) I've just started setting my phone alarm to go off 10 minutes before end of visit. My home visits may be the first to bite the dust as they are simply too complex and I spend 1-2x the visit time doing the chart and referrals and VNA orders (I've yet to figure out how to get paid for that.) My part time nurse and I are wondering if patients are less long winded if they HAVE to leave a message so we can then make them focus when we call them back. That may backfire as I consider Gordon's lessons of patients are less demanding if responded to quickly. But what I'll do for myself may not be what others need. These ideas don't address the emotional drain and the constant demeaning that flogs primary care. Political change is a must. Patients are sicker and sicker: physically and mentally/emotionally and we have to fight for prolonged visits and don't have anywhere near a fair rate. One of my patients noted the local mechanic gets more per hour than I do! I will go under if Medicare gets cut. I'm glad those who have left have found other niches. I hope together we can find ways to keep IMP alive. God Bless Us, Every One. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 I charge $15 for short forms and $25 for longer forms. Can't charge this to Medicaid pts but I do charge it to everybody else.-- Harter MDBoard Certified in Internal Medicine since 1988 Certified Headache Specialist www.hartercare.comphone: fax: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.