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A Mostly Analog Life's avatar

BOTH of my MD's -- who swallowed the CV19 BS, and would only see patients virtually, for the duration of the madness -- have moved to lucrative (for them) CONCIERGE medicine.

First, you have to pay to be a patient at baseline.

Then you have to PAY MORE (thousands a year) just to have them as Physicians.

While I understand we still live in America and a private practice can respond to market forces as they see fit - no one seems to care what the downstream effects of Obamacare are. What would be harder to untangle is what the Insurance companies and regulations force down their throats. The hospital system under which they practice could care less.

I've tried to raise the issue. NO ONE CARES.

Additionally, our local hospital is sliding rapidly downhill. Run by CEO's and not MD's. Staffing issues are the least of it. It used to be a gem. It is so sad.

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wkenn's avatar

My former PCP went to concierge medicine many years ago. He was fed up with being a data entry coder tied to a laptop. Flat out told me it wasn't why he became a physician.

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Disinfected's avatar

My guy said that as well.

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Jen's avatar

Our local hospital is mostly run by doctors but that doesn't make it better. They get tax money and they have a publicly elected hospital district board but they also have a private hospital board. Story goes that they keep the nefarious topics on the agenda of the private board. 🧐

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Letsrock's avatar

Very interesting. Long before covid the New England town I was in had hospitals buying out all local private practices when my Dr. went concierge also. I just recently noticed where he has come back into the 'fold' so to speak and is accepting new patients and insurance. His ratings have also plummeted so it seems. It's all too crazy.

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JohnAZ's avatar

Speaking as a retired RN, when the bean counters got into hospital management, they immediately put the blame on the nursing staffs for the patient discontent being reported. It had nothing to do with the understaffing and computerization of the hospital room. Obamacare was the start, I was there, I saw it, I retired because of it.

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JohnAZ's avatar

Just like everywhere the government gets involved, it turns to shit.

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