The Health Care Demise

Yesterday I had first-hand evidence of the sorry state of health care in this country. A visit to my allergist made it all too clear.

I have been taking shots to control my many allergies for decades. As much as I detest all medicines, they work so I keep taking them.

For many years my serum would be automatically refilled each time I was out with no need to see the doctor since I was experiencing no problems.

Then about 5 years ago, they instituted a yearly exam, not because it altered my allergy serum in the least, but I suspect because it provided another source of income for the doctor. It was usually perfunctory, involving listening to my lungs, a breathing test, a few questions, etc.

Recently as my serum ran out, they said I had to sign a consent form of some sort to get it refilled AND I had to schedule a visit with the doctor. I did both of those things, thinking I would show up yesterday, have my little exam, and get my shots.

But that wasn’t the way it worked. They put me in a room and said the doctor would be in to see me. No gown, no blood pressure reading, no nothing.

He came in and beckoned me to come into his office for “a chat”, offering me tea or coffee. I declined both, since I was not there for a caffeine fix, but rather to get my shots and be done with it.

This year’s “exam” consisted of 3 questions about the state of my allergies that could just as easily have been asked over the phone. The only physical contact with the doctor was a handshake upon entering and leaving after my maybe 2 minutes of “chat”. If he were to conduct even 12 such conversations an hour, I calculate his hourly income at over $1200 an hour at $105 a pop.

The real kicker was I couldn’t even get my shots because they had not made new serum since they had to wait for the doctor’s recommendation after my visit. Upon hearing this, I said out loud in the waiting room, “Are you kidding me? That “exam” was a joke!” I’m sure someone probably made a note in my chart as they labeled me a heretic.

And then it hit me that this whole experience was why we need healthcare reform. Instead of so much ass covering, doctors should be taking their lead from patients who have real symptoms.

It also occurred to me that being an allergist would be by far the cushiest job in the medical profession. He never has to see any blood, seldom gets midnight calls, and gets richer and richer as he collects all that money for serum and yearly visits from those of us who are addicted to shots.

Health care reform -- bring it on! It can only go up from here. (What do you bet my allergist is opposed to changes in the current system?!)