tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25073771.post1996842315774880944..comments2023-11-05T04:05:03.588-08:00Comments on A Chronic Dose | A blog about chronic illness, healthcare, and writing.: Doctors, Patients and Health Care ReformLauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392908564921877962noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25073771.post-52627787353755156872009-03-04T14:42:00.000-08:002009-03-04T14:42:00.000-08:00I hear you about the many competing agendas behind...I hear you about the many competing agendas behind the scenes in offices, Kairol, and have been in a similar Rx scenario myself--$10 co-pay turned into $80 med. Not fun.<BR/><BR/>A larger point I did think was a valuable one is that in all this talk of reform and budgets and policies, where is the doctor and the patient? I've heard concern from physician-bloggers that practicing docs are not as involved as they should be, and I think the point about the relationship makes sense. Behavior--both from patients who come in asking for meds, and docs writing scripts to meet their demands--needs to change in order for any reform to move forward.Lauriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10392908564921877962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25073771.post-37572648647434555142009-03-04T10:43:00.000-08:002009-03-04T10:43:00.000-08:00I too read Tara’s post but was struck by what I th...I too read Tara’s post but was struck by what I thought was her short-sightedness on this issue. There are many behind the scenes influences working on my doctor’s choice of one drug over another (Does he have time to review new clinical trials when he slogs through the grist mill of seeing as many patients as possible? Is the information he uses to review medication that which is handed to him with a pen and a mug from a cute pharma rep? Is he making choices about my need for scans based on how his paycheck will be cut if he over prescribes testing for HMO patients?)<BR/><BR/>Last month, it took five days and over ten phone calls for my doctor, the insurance company, and the pharmacist to figure out what acid reflux prescription would be covered under my plan. I’m an extremely pro-active and responsible young adult cancer patient, yet much of the information I’m given comes in splintered, patchwork formation and never the same answer twice. While I believe trusting doctor-patient relationships are ideal, I do not think they are the root of this problem. <BR/><BR/>I was also disappointed that she paid the 100 bucks and didn't just handback the RX to the pharmacist without paying, have it removed from her insurance claim, and call her doctor to discuss alternatives. You never have to take and pay for a prescription just because it has been filled.<BR/><BR/>Kairol<BR/>blog: http://everythingchangesbook.com/Kairol Rosenthalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14176295815173905314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25073771.post-88488435633945869182009-03-04T06:49:00.000-08:002009-03-04T06:49:00.000-08:00I also appreciated Parker-Pope's even-handedness; ...I also appreciated Parker-Pope's even-handedness; in fact, it seemed like by the end she was mostly talking about doctors' responsibilities. To me this reflects the one-sided nature of most doctor-patient relationships, and the fact that patients aren't typically regarded as equal partners. Reforming that imbalance is key to any functional health care system, but I don't hear a lot of people talking about how we can do that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com