Friday, July 06, 2007

Health Screening

I've heard the term "health screening" before, but I never thought of it in the same sense that many of us might screen our phone calls: "Oooh, I don't want to treat them. They'll have me caught-up all day!"

Since my previous primary care physician dumped me (because I hadn't been there in a couple years or so)? I've been trying to find a new doctor.

Recently, I contacted a local facility with a few doctors on-staff and asked if they were taking new patients. I was told that they were but that I'd need to drop off my medical records with them, first, so they could look them over and then let me know if and when they'd see me.

It makes sense that they'd want to know my medical history before seeing me, but it seems strange that they'd want to use it to decide IF they'd see me.

What, if I had too many chronic illnesses or something, they'd pass on me like I'd pass on an unappetizing meal?

Does that seem strange to anyone else? Am I misunderstanding a fair and necessary part of our medical care system?

9 comments:

Miz JJ said...

Whaaaaaaat. I do not understand the US system...at all.

The Detective said...

Unconventional Yes, but sounds like a good deal to me.

It's a bit of a hassle for the new patient but face it...some doctors aren't that bright and/or only want to deal with certain issues.

So, if you have something they can't or don't want to deal with....do you really want them to service you??? I wouldn't.

If I doctor has done several studies on HBP and most of his patients have HBP but I have diabetis and he hasn't studied diabetis since Med-School, I would not want to be bothered with him.

..and such as it is.

Liz Dwyer said...

It seems weird to me. It seems that during a consultation, you and a doctor should be mutually deciding whether or not you all are good fits for each other, not them just arbitrarily evaluating your medical history.

Angie said...

I've never heard of a Dr's office doing that before - and I work in a Dr's office. We do ask for medical records before a first visit - but not to see if you'll be seen or not, to get a picture of your history to know how best to treat you. They said, "if we will see you?" Hmmph

You have the worst luck with Dr's. LOL But don't give up - more black men should see a Dr for regular check ups.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I don't know about the "if" part.

Though, I didn't think about it the way "the detective" described above. That kinda makes sense to me.

But I've never encountered a doctor evaluating my medical history before they "accept" me as a patient. Thats interesting, and certainly unconventional.

Anonymous said...

I'm with Liz, a private consultation with the medical professional is what is needed to determine if the two of you need to establish, or will benefit from, a doctor/client association.

While we like to imbue the front office staff, and all those who enter into the confidential inner sanctum of the doctor's offices as breathing extensions of said doctor's Hippocratic oath, and thus as sort of knighted representatives of integrity and faith we place with the doctors...such persons are that vital human link in the chain; and such persons may not be possessed of the requisite mettle to handle the task.

The idea of being reviewed between bites of the front office staff's morning bear claw and the intake of the next patient, and then passed under the desk to the next member of the staff for perusal seems unusually...subjective.

Anonymous said...

That seems a little strange to me and I worked in a clinic for five years. We would do a general screening first but only to make sure we referred the new client to the right doctor. Maybe they're doing something similar.

JustMeWriting said...

WOW... sounds crazy to me, but I'm not surprised...just another failing system. nice page.

princessdominique said...

That is weird and I don't understand your first doctor dumping you? What is that?!?! I worked in the hospital system for 15 years and have never heard about that. If anything it should be all about submitting a claim to your insurance and getting paid.