Posts by Maria Gomez4

No, I don't think it's the thyroid. It’s more likely the ovaries—specifically, maybe some issues with PCOS.

melloworca6 said:Take my immunology labs, for example. I asked my primary care doctor. She could explain some stuff, but not all of it. I can't expect my GP to give me a deep dive into every single thing I bring in; she isn't a specialist. She knows the basics of certain diseases, and that's it.

And who else was I supposed to ask? An immunologist? You barely make it through the door before you're being ushered out. You don't even get a chance to list your symptoms, let alone grill them with questions, because there are 50 to 100 patients waiting in the hallway.

I'm not blaming the doctors here. There are way too many patients per doctor. Of course they don't have the time to sit down and answer every single question we have.

Well, you could look at it that way too. Why bother treating smokers who got lung cancer, obese people who developed diabetes or strokes, or alcoholics who trashed their livers?

How is someone poisoning themselves any different from the examples listed above?
🤷

I suppose you might be surprised by just how much your doctor actually knows; perhaps you should try asking her.

Andrew Wood5 said:

You get laid down on that filthy green paper sheet that's been swapped under countless patients; there are black stains from the hips down, but the funny thing is how doctors look at you with disgust if you actually show up clean, yet those little bits of fabric stay stuck to your body (because the fabric is cheap quality, which is why it sticks to you; none of us can afford the good stuff).

Good grief, where on earth are you pulling such terrible experiences from?

Hey, Josey, how on earth are you so deeply informed about that lady’s transplant case?
I happen to be quite well-acquainted with the details myself, though I’ve hesitated to speak up due to certain ethical considerations. In any case, she was technically "my patient" during my clinical rotations.

It serves as a perfect example of how someone foolish—and perhaps a bit unhinged—can waste millions of taxpayer dollars while everyone else just stands around acting clueless.

melloworca6 said:I’d handle this a bit differently. 🙂

The folks in the Government actually had one decent idea: take a percentage from every single pack of cigarettes sold and earmark it specifically for the Department of Health and Human Services. I have no clue why they didn't pull the trigger on it, because honestly, the concept was solid. You could easily do the same thing with alcohol or junk food—if people want to indulge, fine, let them.

But what you're suggesting is just impossible. How are you supposed to determine who qualifies for premium coverage versus basic care? And how would you ever prove if someone is actually drowning themselves in booze or smoking five packs of cigarettes a day?

Well, they actually did implement it! A portion of the excise tax on tobacco products goes straight to Medicare, but... you know... just imagine if they actually wanted to maintain a strict and honest system, the price of a pack of cigarettes would be close to $33... which doesn't bother me at all, really. Treating all those heavy illnesses linked to smoking... it's EXPENSIVE. Extremely expensive.

melloworca6 said:I’d handle this a bit differently. 🙂

The folks in the Government actually had one decent idea: take a percentage from every single pack of cigarettes sold and earmark it specifically for the Department of Health and Human Services. I have no clue why they didn't pull the trigger on it, because honestly, the concept was solid. You could easily do the same thing with alcohol or junk food—if people want to indulge, fine, let them.

But what you're suggesting is just impossible. How are you supposed to determine who qualifies for premium coverage versus basic care? And how would you ever prove if someone is actually drowning themselves in booze or smoking five packs of cigarettes a day?

That kind of system already exists! If you smoke, if you drink, or if you are overweight, you end up paying more for healthcare—though, of course, not here in America.
But I'm not entirely sure if that's the right way to go. To me, the case involving that woman who loves mushrooms is simply a reminder that even in America, some incredibly advanced and positive things are being done that cost massive amounts of money; that lady's life was saved, and they didn't skimp on the funding. She received the kind of care that wouldn't even be available in many other countries on this planet.

Anyway... since we've wandered into ethical territory: here is one for you.
This is an example from the same hospital; a young girl attempted suicide by taking a medication that caused her liver to fail completely, and since she didn't pass away instantly—meaning medical teams were able to start saving her in time—it was decided to transplant her liver. It is the only therapy for that specific type of poisoning, and it truly is an emergency procedure.
But... did that (I think she was) 17-year-old really deserve such a life-saving organ? After all, she (attempted) suicide. Because of her, someone else didn't get that organ.

melloworca6 said:You totally misunderstood me. It’s not that my doctor ever refused to run a test or give me a prescription a specialist actually wrote—if she had done that, I would have lost it on her. My issue was just getting an appointment with a specialist in the first place because she wouldn't send me for any testing.

The woman figured out my thyroid was enlarged, asked me about it, and I just told her I didn't know—I hadn't noticed anything. So, she didn't bother sending me to get my hormone levels checked. It took six months for me to realize I had a thyroid problem, and that only happened because an immunologist finally caught that my thyroid was swollen and sent me for bloodwork.

I spent six months suffering for absolutely nothing because she wouldn't hand over one damn referral. Expecting a layperson like me to self-diagnose stuff like that is just ridiculous.

And don't even get me started on how I only saw that immunologist because my mom stepped in, took charge, and basically bullied my way into appointments. If I had just waited for this doctor to snap out of it, I'd still be waiting.

You can't have someone walk into your office, tell you their joints are aching and their fingers are turning blue and white, and then just send them off to check their white blood cell count and ESR. What the hell are you supposed to see from that? In the four years I've been dragging myself from doctor to doctor, my CBC comes back perfect every single time, yet my immune system is a total disaster.

Oh, and there's one more thing that drives me absolutely insane. Not one single doctor has actually sat down with me to explain what is going on. I've had to go online and hunt down what my own lab results actually mean. It’s pathetic that as a patient, I have to educate myself on my own illnesses by scouring the internet and digging through medical books.

Can I ask a somewhat blunt question here—did you ever actually ask anyone to explain things to you?
In my experience, people have always been willing to walk me through everything (provided I actually asked), though I suppose that isn't always the case.
Maybe it is just an attitude issue, or perhaps I am wrong, but I suspect some people simply prefer to stay detached and avoid getting too involved with their own health. Or, I guess, maybe they are just intimidated by doctors, which might explain why they tend to corner interns to interpret their results, since interns usually don't mind helping out.

Kyle Lee7 said:Let me clarify my position here. It’s not that I’m specifically demanding a specialist just for the sake of it. The reality is that I’m managing some chronic conditions—specifically MS and asthma—that require regular check-ups and oversight from a specialist at set intervals. From a logical standpoint, if I'm seeing a specialist, they should be the ones able to issue my prescriptions. It makes zero sense that I have to loop back to my primary care physician just to get a script signed. Furthermore, if that same specialist tells me, "Come back in three months for a follow-up," I shouldn't have to run back to my GP just to schedule that appointment or get authorization. Why put patients through this unnecessary runaround? It feels like a lot of wasted movement.
What exactly is the point of having the internet if we can't use it to keep doctors connected? Instead of this constant back-and-forth walking around, why isn't everything streamlined digitally? It feels like the primary care physician is being relegated to nothing more than an administrator rather than a true medical provider.

True, they don't strictly need it—though they actually do, but let them pay their own way—just like people shouldn't be taking sick leave for a simple cold. Actually, when I really think about it, I wouldn't even want people with colds coming into the office and spreading viruses around. Working in that environment, I have my own chronic condition to manage, and every single virus someone brings in could seriously impact my health. So, maybe we should all consider asking people to just STAY HOME when they're dealing with viruses, strep throat, or the flu.
When it comes to medication, I feel like we’re seeing a real disconnect in how treatment is handled. Many patients living with MS should ideally be on something like interferon while they still have a genuine window of opportunity to slow down or even halt the progression of the disease, yet so few actually receive it. On the flip side, doctors are prescribing a mountain of different medications, half of which end up sitting in a trash can because they aren't right for the patient—all while people are left footing the bill. It’s a tough situation when you consider that many patients simply can't afford to shell out nearly $1,100 a month just for interferon.

What I mean is that until I hit my 30s, I was seeing a public gynecologist and was honestly pretty clueless about specific screenings. I used to think a Pap smear was plenty. When I finally decided to switch to a private specialist, I nearly had a heart attack when they asked if I’d done certain specific swabs—and I just sat there looking blank. You can carry a ton of infections without even knowing it, yet they can lead to infertility or cervical cancer. These screenings really should be the gold standard; I get them done once a year now, and I sleep much better for it. It feels like so many women only find out they’re carrying things like HPV or chlamydia once they actually get pregnant.

I go to psychotherapy. That’s one referral per month.
And for the record, I haven't taken a single sick day in eight years.
If I need to stay home for a couple of days because of a virus, they just deduct it from my vacation time, and that's that.

Like I said before, patients dealing with chronic illnesses are a bit more complicated. But just imagine if you were prescribed a medication for asthma that actually makes your MS worse?... what then? Well, in a functional system, the family doctor steps in to figure out the best path forward.
Look, a huge portion of Americans only have a basic education, maybe some high school, but certainly nothing advanced. Many people simply aren't equipped to connect how their various health issues interact. They get lost in a sea of different medications!

Here’s an example: someone has a heart condition, so their cardiologist puts them on something like a beta blocker. Then they see a pulmonologist for asthma, and that specialist realizes the beta blocker is actually bad for the asthma. So what does the pulmonologist do? Do they stop the beta blocker and risk the patient's heart, or do they leave it alone and do nothing? They'll stop it. And then they give the patient a referral to see their primary physician. If it's just about managing blood pressure, the GP can handle that adjustment and keep things steady, while also explaining why the beta blocker was a bad idea. It happens more often than you'd think—patients staying on meds they shouldn't just because "it feels fine." Essentially, we need a doctor who acts like a captain, guiding a person through the healthcare system to reach a goal. Unfortunately... unfortunately... nowadays, doctors are mostly just glorified ATM machines for referrals, and that's what really hurts.
So, regarding what Susan Rodriguez4 is saying; yes, we need better management, but that's only one part—actually a pretty small part of the problem. The crisis is systemic. You see it most clearly in those massive MRI machines they buy... which, according to reports, are 90% unnecessary. An MRI costs roughly $667, and if you asked any average American to shell out that kind of cash, they'd probably lose their mind! In my opinion, if we looked into who authorized all those useless MRIs (an MRI is safe enough, but a CT scan hits the body with HUGE amounts of radiation—like 150 times more than a standard X-ray!), I suspect we'd find that the system is fundamentally broken somewhere, and that's what needs to be uncovered.
Because, sure, kudos to a hospital for being managed successfully; that's great! Absolutely. But someone has to pay for every single one of those MRIs, and a "successful" hospital like that will paradoxically just end up drowning in debt. (Which is why I suspect there's a dedicated group behind all this bad healthcare, trying to prevent debt accumulation by pushing people away from public services and driving them toward private healthcare😁)

Kyle Lee7 said:Let me clarify my position here. It’s not that I’m specifically demanding a specialist just for the sake of it. The reality is that I’m managing some chronic conditions—specifically MS and asthma—that require regular check-ups and oversight from a specialist at set intervals. From a logical standpoint, if I'm seeing a specialist, they should be the ones able to issue my prescriptions. It makes zero sense that I have to loop back to my primary care physician just to get a script signed. Furthermore, if that same specialist tells me, "Come back in three months for a follow-up," I shouldn't have to run back to my GP just to schedule that appointment or get authorization. Why put patients through this unnecessary runaround? It feels like a lot of wasted movement.
What exactly is the point of having the internet if we can't use it to keep doctors connected? Instead of this constant back-and-forth walking around, why isn't everything streamlined digitally? It feels like the primary care physician is being relegated to nothing more than an administrator rather than a true medical provider.

True, they don't strictly need it—though they actually do, but let them pay their own way—just like people shouldn't be taking sick leave for a simple cold. Actually, when I really think about it, I wouldn't even want people with colds coming into the office and spreading viruses around. Working in that environment, I have my own chronic condition to manage, and every single virus someone brings in could seriously impact my health. So, maybe we should all consider asking people to just STAY HOME when they're dealing with viruses, strep throat, or the flu.
When it comes to medication, I feel like we’re seeing a real disconnect in how treatment is handled. Many patients living with MS should ideally be on something like interferon while they still have a genuine window of opportunity to slow down or even halt the progression of the disease, yet so few actually receive it. On the flip side, doctors are prescribing a mountain of different medications, half of which end up sitting in a trash can because they aren't right for the patient—all while people are left footing the bill. It’s a tough situation when you consider that many patients simply can't afford to shell out nearly $1,100 a month just for interferon.

What I mean is that until I hit my 30s, I was seeing a public gynecologist and was honestly pretty clueless about specific screenings. I used to think a Pap smear was plenty. When I finally decided to switch to a private specialist, I nearly had a heart attack when they asked if I’d done certain specific swabs—and I just sat there looking blank. You can carry a ton of infections without even knowing it, yet they can lead to infertility or cervical cancer. These screenings really should be the gold standard; I get them done once a year now, and I sleep much better for it. It feels like so many women only find out they’re carrying things like HPV or chlamydia once they actually get pregnant.

I go to psychotherapy. That’s one referral per month.
And for the record, I haven't taken a single sick day in eight years.
If I need to stay home for a couple of days because of a virus, they just deduct it from my vacation time, and that's that.

e, I suppose that’s exactly what I was getting at when I mentioned how certain medications are strictly earmarked for specific conditions, and how Medicare essentially shackles doctors, preventing them from acting solely in the patient's best interest.
Interferon is actually a drug that could potentially help with a vast array of conditions... but unfortunately, it hasn't been prescribed for those cases here... so I guess people just have to find their own ways to manage.

Kyle Lee7 said:Let me clarify my position here. It’s not that I’m specifically demanding a specialist just for the sake of it. The reality is that I’m managing some chronic conditions—specifically MS and asthma—that require regular check-ups and oversight from a specialist at set intervals. From a logical standpoint, if I'm seeing a specialist, they should be the ones able to issue my prescriptions. It makes zero sense that I have to loop back to my primary care physician just to get a script signed. Furthermore, if that same specialist tells me, "Come back in three months for a follow-up," I shouldn't have to run back to my GP just to schedule that appointment or get authorization. Why put patients through this unnecessary runaround? It feels like a lot of wasted movement.
What exactly is the point of having the internet if we can't use it to keep doctors connected? Instead of this constant back-and-forth walking around, why isn't everything streamlined digitally? It feels like the primary care physician is being relegated to nothing more than an administrator rather than a true medical provider.

True, they don't strictly need it—though they actually do, but let them pay their own way—just like people shouldn't be taking sick leave for a simple cold. Actually, when I really think about it, I wouldn't even want people with colds coming into the office and spreading viruses around. Working in that environment, I have my own chronic condition to manage, and every single virus someone brings in could seriously impact my health. So, maybe we should all consider asking people to just STAY HOME when they're dealing with viruses, strep throat, or the flu.
When it comes to medication, I feel like we’re seeing a real disconnect in how treatment is handled. Many patients living with MS should ideally be on something like interferon while they still have a genuine window of opportunity to slow down or even halt the progression of the disease, yet so few actually receive it. On the flip side, doctors are prescribing a mountain of different medications, half of which end up sitting in a trash can because they aren't right for the patient—all while people are left footing the bill. It’s a tough situation when you consider that many patients simply can't afford to shell out nearly $1,100 a month just for interferon.

What I mean is that until I hit my 30s, I was seeing a public gynecologist and was honestly pretty clueless about specific screenings. I used to think a Pap smear was plenty. When I finally decided to switch to a private specialist, I nearly had a heart attack when they asked if I’d done certain specific swabs—and I just sat there looking blank. You can carry a ton of infections without even knowing it, yet they can lead to infertility or cervical cancer. These screenings really should be the gold standard; I get them done once a year now, and I sleep much better for it. It feels like so many women only find out they’re carrying things like HPV or chlamydia once they actually get pregnant.

I go to psychotherapy. That’s one referral per month.
And for the record, I haven't taken a single sick day in eight years.
If I need to stay home for a couple of days because of a virus, they just deduct it from my vacation time, and that's that.

hm, I wonder why there isn't some kind of recurring referral? I'm not entirely sure, since I've never personally referred anyone to psychotherapy, though I do know that certain services allow for multiple visits, or like people getting wound care at the ER who can visit several times under one referral... that was a new thing last year. I suppose you should probably ask a therapist; maybe the family doctor knows the specifics.

Susan Rodriguez4 As if I care what they say:
I guess there aren't even any courses available anymore, which seems rather ridiculous, if you ask me.
Nothing at all, I suppose.

Well, there's something there, I suppose. I'm not entirely sure if it’s actually worth the trouble, but it exists.

Susan Rodriguez4 said:Maria Gomez4
I’m not saying the healthcare crisis is solely about a lack of funding. What I am saying is that mismanagement of those funds throttles the entire profession and creates a mountain of unnecessary headaches. The systemic crisis runs much deeper than just a thin wallet.
From an economic standpoint, healthcare is one of the most demanding and complex industries out there, specifically because we are dealing with human lives.
That’s why, in the US, hospitals are typically run by people who are economists with a Master’s in medical economics, or physicians who have earned that same degree. We're talking about at least 3 to 4 years of specialized postgraduate training just to gain the competency required for the role.
Of course, hospital boards include a medical council to provide clinical guidance. And sure, you can't just cut the power to a non-profit department, but it’s the economist who manages the budget to ensure that never happens. They have the specific know-how to navigate those waters; a doctor doesn't.

We don't really have those specific programs here yet. I know a brilliant, driven young woman trying to pave the way in this field, and people in the hospitals actually laughed at her. They mocked her—as if a Master of Economics wouldn't know anything compared to a Professor with a PhD who’s spent 38 years doing organ transplants.🙄
There aren't even any courses available.
Nothing.
Anyway, my point is this: we need to let specialists manage the money. That way, doctors actually have the headspace, the time, and the resources to advance their expertise and improve patient care, which ultimately makes everyone happier. Look at the Holy Spirit example—where a physician with actual business savvy took over as director. It’s a rare exception that proves the rule, but even within this dysfunctional system, that person worked miracles in a very short time.

As for Milinović, you couldn't be more wrong. He chose a model that is more expensive, detrimental to women's health, strains the system with repeated attempts, and has a lower success rate. It is a total failure, both medically and economically.

Bill Gates is one of a kind. A man with a 170 IQ can do whatever he wants in life. Honestly, if he were running the Department of Health and Human Services, things would be waaaaay better for all of us. Both sides.

What you're calling "sweeping generalizations" actually come from 15 years of experience running a private practice with eight employees. Believe me, I know exactly what this job entails. I know exactly what it feels like when the doctor in me, who cares about the patients, goes head-to-head with the economist in me, who has to make sure everyone gets paid and the vendors are taken care of.😉

I guess I’m just curious, but what kind of business is the Holy Spirit actually running here?

Susan Rodriguez4 said:Maria Gomez4
I’m not saying the healthcare crisis is solely about a lack of funding. What I am saying is that mismanagement of those funds throttles the entire profession and creates a mountain of unnecessary headaches. The systemic crisis runs much deeper than just a thin wallet.
From an economic standpoint, healthcare is one of the most demanding and complex industries out there, specifically because we are dealing with human lives.
That’s why, in the US, hospitals are typically run by people who are economists with a Master’s in medical economics, or physicians who have earned that same degree. We're talking about at least 3 to 4 years of specialized postgraduate training just to gain the competency required for the role.
Of course, hospital boards include a medical council to provide clinical guidance. And sure, you can't just cut the power to a non-profit department, but it’s the economist who manages the budget to ensure that never happens. They have the specific know-how to navigate those waters; a doctor doesn't.

We don't really have those specific programs here yet. I know a brilliant, driven young woman trying to pave the way in this field, and people in the hospitals actually laughed at her. They mocked her—as if a Master of Economics wouldn't know anything compared to a Professor with a PhD who’s spent 38 years doing organ transplants.🙄
There aren't even any courses available.
Nothing.
Anyway, my point is this: we need to let specialists manage the money. That way, doctors actually have the headspace, the time, and the resources to advance their expertise and improve patient care, which ultimately makes everyone happier. Look at the Holy Spirit example—where a physician with actual business savvy took over as director. It’s a rare exception that proves the rule, but even within this dysfunctional system, that person worked miracles in a very short time.

As for Milinović, you couldn't be more wrong. He chose a model that is more expensive, detrimental to women's health, strains the system with repeated attempts, and has a lower success rate. It is a total failure, both medically and economically.

Bill Gates is one of a kind. A man with a 170 IQ can do whatever he wants in life. Honestly, if he were running the Department of Health and Human Services, things would be waaaaay better for all of us. Both sides.

What you're calling "sweeping generalizations" actually come from 15 years of experience running a private practice with eight employees. Believe me, I know exactly what this job entails. I know exactly what it feels like when the doctor in me, who cares about the patients, goes head-to-head with the economist in me, who has to make sure everyone gets paid and the vendors are taken care of.😉

I suppose if those procedures weren't being performed quite so frequently, maybe less money would actually be spent. 🙂 The minister comes out on top—though, just to be absolutely clear, I am certainly not defending him... not even a little bit.

Susan Rodriguez4 said:Maria Gomez4
I’m not saying the healthcare crisis is solely about a lack of funding. What I am saying is that mismanagement of those funds throttles the entire profession and creates a mountain of unnecessary headaches. The systemic crisis runs much deeper than just a thin wallet.
From an economic standpoint, healthcare is one of the most demanding and complex industries out there, specifically because we are dealing with human lives.
That’s why, in the US, hospitals are typically run by people who are economists with a Master’s in medical economics, or physicians who have earned that same degree. We're talking about at least 3 to 4 years of specialized postgraduate training just to gain the competency required for the role.
Of course, hospital boards include a medical council to provide clinical guidance. And sure, you can't just cut the power to a non-profit department, but it’s the economist who manages the budget to ensure that never happens. They have the specific know-how to navigate those waters; a doctor doesn't.

We don't really have those specific programs here yet. I know a brilliant, driven young woman trying to pave the way in this field, and people in the hospitals actually laughed at her. They mocked her—as if a Master of Economics wouldn't know anything compared to a Professor with a PhD who’s spent 38 years doing organ transplants.🙄
There aren't even any courses available.
Nothing.
Anyway, my point is this: we need to let specialists manage the money. That way, doctors actually have the headspace, the time, and the resources to advance their expertise and improve patient care, which ultimately makes everyone happier. Look at the Holy Spirit example—where a physician with actual business savvy took over as director. It’s a rare exception that proves the rule, but even within this dysfunctional system, that person worked miracles in a very short time.

As for Milinović, you couldn't be more wrong. He chose a model that is more expensive, detrimental to women's health, strains the system with repeated attempts, and has a lower success rate. It is a total failure, both medically and economically.

Bill Gates is one of a kind. A man with a 170 IQ can do whatever he wants in life. Honestly, if he were running the Department of Health and Human Services, things would be waaaaay better for all of us. Both sides.

What you're calling "sweeping generalizations" actually come from 15 years of experience running a private practice with eight employees. Believe me, I know exactly what this job entails. I know exactly what it feels like when the doctor in me, who cares about the patients, goes head-to-head with the economist in me, who has to make sure everyone gets paid and the vendors are taken care of.😉

I suppose you missed the fact that it wasn't actually like that. I quickly threw in names like Ferdinand Piech, Jobs, and Ballmer—plus how Bayer is essentially running the chemical industry—but that was just me offering some casual observations. It wasn't meant to steer the core argument itself, though one could argue that engaging in debate for the sake of debating is exactly what I enjoy doing most.

Susan Rodriguez4 As if anyone actually believes that.
My generalized assessments, if that’s what you insist on calling them, aren't just random guesses; they actually stem from fifteen years of running my own private practice with a staff of eight. Believe me when I say I understand exactly what this job entails, especially when the doctor in me—the one who genuinely cares about patient outcomes—finds itself constantly clashing with the business owner in me, who has to ensure every single employee gets paid on time and all our suppliers are kept satisfied.😉

Do you work in the healthcare sector?

Now, please don't get me wrong, because I truly believe that we could—and honestly, we must—manage our funds more effectively, but I just don't think money is the actual reason the system is failing (which is why some people tend to praise the American model and private healthcare). In my view, the issue lies with policy... I suppose I would compare it to running a major U.S. city, where you might argue that if we managed our budget better, we’d have more capital for development, and that makes sense. But what our cities actually lack is a robust urban planning strategy, a coherent idea, or a real vision... right now, we just seem to be dealing with haphazard construction and overpriced, poorly designed infrastructure..
Some international organizations have warned that per capita, we are overspending relative to our economic strength, while others (local ones) warn that we aren't spending nearly enough compared to our peers in Europe!

Oh, come on, I think you’re exaggerating a bit: sure, money is an issue because funds get squandered and poured into foolish ventures, but at the same time, there just isn't enough cash... I suppose I should gently disagree with you there.

no, the crisis isn't necessarily caused by a lack of funds, at least not strictly speaking.

Susan Rodriguez4 said:As long as doctors—not economists—are the ones calling the shots on the financial side of healthcare, the system is going to remain a bottomless money pit. This constant lack of funding will inevitably stifle medical innovation and service quality, which only fuels more frustration for patients. It's a vicious cycle.
The American healthcare system is bleeding cash through a million different holes. It’s exactly like any other massive corporation suffering under incompetent leadership.
Look, I’ve never heard anyone claim that a pharmacist runs the entire pharmaceutical industry. You don't see a software engineer calling the shots at a massive tech firm, and you certainly don't have an auto mechanic running an entire car factory. So why on earth do we insist that hospitals have to be managed by doctors? Most of them aren't even trained for administration, and honestly, they don't know how to do the job. It isn't even their primary career—it’s just an extra burden tacked onto their actual medical duties.😲😲😲
And let's not even get started on how much harder this is than running any corporation or massive conglomerate. When you factor in that human life is an immeasurable economic variable, the whole job becomes infinitely more complex and demanding.

The way our healthcare system works is backwards: it actually rewards laziness. It doesn't matter if you're looking at primary care, specialists, or major hospitals—it’s the same broken logic everywhere. The Department of Health and Human Services gets a set budget, and most of that just goes straight to payroll. But the rest? If you actually step up and do your job, you're viewed as a liability. In this system, being productive is treated like a loss on the balance sheet. Basically, if you want to get ahead, just don't do anything.
It all starts with primary care being funded through this broken fee-for-service model. It basically creates a system where the harder a doctor actually works, the less they make. So, to ensure they can actually pay their bills and survive, they end up writing prescriptions that don't cost them a dime.
Secondary care has basically vanished now that they've dismantled the community health center system.
Hospitals are a whole different story.
While surgeons around the world are pivoting toward minimally invasive procedures—designed to get patients out of the hospital quickly and back to work in six days instead of six weeks—our system is stuck in the past. Here, they admit you five days before the surgery, keep you an extra five days after, and then toss you onto long-term disability for weeks. To make matters worse, Medicare gets billed for fifteen days of hospital stays, even if the actual procedure only required three. It’s a massive waste of resources. That surplus cash could be used in a million different ways—upgrading equipment, advanced training, or better patient care—but instead, it just vanishes into the bureaucracy.
Of course, this also brings up the issue of staffing shortages in certain facilities—not to mention how much easier it would be if we could actually speed up patient turnover.
It’s actually pretty fascinating to watch private clinics like State Farm or Sunce thrive. They aren't just getting by; they are absolutely killing it, and everyone—from the patients to the doctors—seems genuinely happy with how things run. I wonder, do any of them have a director who is also a practicing physician? You know, someone who handles the clinical work in their own office while simultaneously running the whole show?

All at All, my take is this: if we actually put some competent people in charge of our healthcare system, they could—and honestly, they should—get everything back on track pretty quickly. If that happened, life would be a whole lot better for everyone.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services has zero business deciding which women are allowed to have children. That’s not his job. His actual job should be making sure the budget is handled properly so that anyone who wants to start a family can access the highest possible standards of medical care. Period.

Ugh, you're thinking like a manager, but it’s actually more complicated than that; if I were in charge, I’d perhaps implement specialized courses, maybe graduate programs or something focused on healthcare administration—I suspect that would be quite sufficient (they are starting to introduce this, if they haven't already). I guess the fundamental issue with managing healthcare finances is that it's become a political mess, since politics has completely bled into the medical field.
Just look at how many doctors are involved in politics and how some of them lobby for their own interests, whereas actual health policy is rarely the priority. It's honestly appalling.

Susan Rodriguez4 said:As long as doctors—not economists—are the ones calling the shots on the financial side of healthcare, the system is going to remain a bottomless money pit. This constant lack of funding will inevitably stifle medical innovation and service quality, which only fuels more frustration for patients. It's a vicious cycle.
The American healthcare system is bleeding cash through a million different holes. It’s exactly like any other massive corporation suffering under incompetent leadership.
Look, I’ve never heard anyone claim that a pharmacist runs the entire pharmaceutical industry. You don't see a software engineer calling the shots at a massive tech firm, and you certainly don't have an auto mechanic running an entire car factory. So why on earth do we insist that hospitals have to be managed by doctors? Most of them aren't even trained for administration, and honestly, they don't know how to do the job. It isn't even their primary career—it’s just an extra burden tacked onto their actual medical duties.😲😲😲
And let's not even get started on how much harder this is than running any corporation or massive conglomerate. When you factor in that human life is an immeasurable economic variable, the whole job becomes infinitely more complex and demanding.

The way our healthcare system works is backwards: it actually rewards laziness. It doesn't matter if you're looking at primary care, specialists, or major hospitals—it’s the same broken logic everywhere. The Department of Health and Human Services gets a set budget, and most of that just goes straight to payroll. But the rest? If you actually step up and do your job, you're viewed as a liability. In this system, being productive is treated like a loss on the balance sheet. Basically, if you want to get ahead, just don't do anything.
It all starts with primary care being funded through this broken fee-for-service model. It basically creates a system where the harder a doctor actually works, the less they make. So, to ensure they can actually pay their bills and survive, they end up writing prescriptions that don't cost them a dime.
Secondary care has basically vanished now that they've dismantled the community health center system.
Hospitals are a whole different story.
While surgeons around the world are pivoting toward minimally invasive procedures—designed to get patients out of the hospital quickly and back to work in six days instead of six weeks—our system is stuck in the past. Here, they admit you five days before the surgery, keep you an extra five days after, and then toss you onto long-term disability for weeks. To make matters worse, Medicare gets billed for fifteen days of hospital stays, even if the actual procedure only required three. It’s a massive waste of resources. That surplus cash could be used in a million different ways—upgrading equipment, advanced training, or better patient care—but instead, it just vanishes into the bureaucracy.
Of course, this also brings up the issue of staffing shortages in certain facilities—not to mention how much easier it would be if we could actually speed up patient turnover.
It’s actually pretty fascinating to watch private clinics like State Farm or Sunce thrive. They aren't just getting by; they are absolutely killing it, and everyone—from the patients to the doctors—seems genuinely happy with how things run. I wonder, do any of them have a director who is also a practicing physician? You know, someone who handles the clinical work in their own office while simultaneously running the whole show?

All at All, my take is this: if we actually put some competent people in charge of our healthcare system, they could—and honestly, they should—get everything back on track pretty quickly. If that happened, life would be a whole lot better for everyone.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services has zero business deciding which women are allowed to have children. That’s not his job. His actual job should be making sure the budget is handled properly so that anyone who wants to start a family can access the highest possible standards of medical care. Period.

Pfft, it seems to me you don't actually know any leaders in that industry; for instance, Čović was someone from the field (okay, he isn't the best example 😁), but let's say Bayer is led by a chemist or a scientist, though it’s hard to say for certain because there isn't just one single person running such a massive corporation anymore; instead, it's a board of directors, which includes doctors, chemists, and scientists alike...

Susan Rodriguez4 said:As long as doctors—not economists—are the ones calling the shots on the financial side of healthcare, the system is going to remain a bottomless money pit. This constant lack of funding will inevitably stifle medical innovation and service quality, which only fuels more frustration for patients. It's a vicious cycle.
The American healthcare system is bleeding cash through a million different holes. It’s exactly like any other massive corporation suffering under incompetent leadership.
Look, I’ve never heard anyone claim that a pharmacist runs the entire pharmaceutical industry. You don't see a software engineer calling the shots at a massive tech firm, and you certainly don't have an auto mechanic running an entire car factory. So why on earth do we insist that hospitals have to be managed by doctors? Most of them aren't even trained for administration, and honestly, they don't know how to do the job. It isn't even their primary career—it’s just an extra burden tacked onto their actual medical duties.😲😲😲
And let's not even get started on how much harder this is than running any corporation or massive conglomerate. When you factor in that human life is an immeasurable economic variable, the whole job becomes infinitely more complex and demanding.

The way our healthcare system works is backwards: it actually rewards laziness. It doesn't matter if you're looking at primary care, specialists, or major hospitals—it’s the same broken logic everywhere. The Department of Health and Human Services gets a set budget, and most of that just goes straight to payroll. But the rest? If you actually step up and do your job, you're viewed as a liability. In this system, being productive is treated like a loss on the balance sheet. Basically, if you want to get ahead, just don't do anything.
It all starts with primary care being funded through this broken fee-for-service model. It basically creates a system where the harder a doctor actually works, the less they make. So, to ensure they can actually pay their bills and survive, they end up writing prescriptions that don't cost them a dime.
Secondary care has basically vanished now that they've dismantled the community health center system.
Hospitals are a whole different story.
While surgeons around the world are pivoting toward minimally invasive procedures—designed to get patients out of the hospital quickly and back to work in six days instead of six weeks—our system is stuck in the past. Here, they admit you five days before the surgery, keep you an extra five days after, and then toss you onto long-term disability for weeks. To make matters worse, Medicare gets billed for fifteen days of hospital stays, even if the actual procedure only required three. It’s a massive waste of resources. That surplus cash could be used in a million different ways—upgrading equipment, advanced training, or better patient care—but instead, it just vanishes into the bureaucracy.
Of course, this also brings up the issue of staffing shortages in certain facilities—not to mention how much easier it would be if we could actually speed up patient turnover.
It’s actually pretty fascinating to watch private clinics like State Farm or Sunce thrive. They aren't just getting by; they are absolutely killing it, and everyone—from the patients to the doctors—seems genuinely happy with how things run. I wonder, do any of them have a director who is also a practicing physician? You know, someone who handles the clinical work in their own office while simultaneously running the whole show?

All at All, my take is this: if we actually put some competent people in charge of our healthcare system, they could—and honestly, they should—get everything back on track pretty quickly. If that happened, life would be a whole lot better for everyone.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services has zero business deciding which women are allowed to have children. That’s not his job. His actual job should be making sure the budget is handled properly so that anyone who wants to start a family can access the highest possible standards of medical care. Period.

Of course they do—what about Bill Gates? Or Steve Ballmer, or Steve Jobs?

Susan Rodriguez4 said:As long as doctors—not economists—are the ones calling the shots on the financial side of healthcare, the system is going to remain a bottomless money pit. This constant lack of funding will inevitably stifle medical innovation and service quality, which only fuels more frustration for patients. It's a vicious cycle.
The American healthcare system is bleeding cash through a million different holes. It’s exactly like any other massive corporation suffering under incompetent leadership.
Look, I’ve never heard anyone claim that a pharmacist runs the entire pharmaceutical industry. You don't see a software engineer calling the shots at a massive tech firm, and you certainly don't have an auto mechanic running an entire car factory. So why on earth do we insist that hospitals have to be managed by doctors? Most of them aren't even trained for administration, and honestly, they don't know how to do the job. It isn't even their primary career—it’s just an extra burden tacked onto their actual medical duties.😲😲😲
And let's not even get started on how much harder this is than running any corporation or massive conglomerate. When you factor in that human life is an immeasurable economic variable, the whole job becomes infinitely more complex and demanding.

The way our healthcare system works is backwards: it actually rewards laziness. It doesn't matter if you're looking at primary care, specialists, or major hospitals—it’s the same broken logic everywhere. The Department of Health and Human Services gets a set budget, and most of that just goes straight to payroll. But the rest? If you actually step up and do your job, you're viewed as a liability. In this system, being productive is treated like a loss on the balance sheet. Basically, if you want to get ahead, just don't do anything.
It all starts with primary care being funded through this broken fee-for-service model. It basically creates a system where the harder a doctor actually works, the less they make. So, to ensure they can actually pay their bills and survive, they end up writing prescriptions that don't cost them a dime.
Secondary care has basically vanished now that they've dismantled the community health center system.
Hospitals are a whole different story.
While surgeons around the world are pivoting toward minimally invasive procedures—designed to get patients out of the hospital quickly and back to work in six days instead of six weeks—our system is stuck in the past. Here, they admit you five days before the surgery, keep you an extra five days after, and then toss you onto long-term disability for weeks. To make matters worse, Medicare gets billed for fifteen days of hospital stays, even if the actual procedure only required three. It’s a massive waste of resources. That surplus cash could be used in a million different ways—upgrading equipment, advanced training, or better patient care—but instead, it just vanishes into the bureaucracy.
Of course, this also brings up the issue of staffing shortages in certain facilities—not to mention how much easier it would be if we could actually speed up patient turnover.
It’s actually pretty fascinating to watch private clinics like State Farm or Sunce thrive. They aren't just getting by; they are absolutely killing it, and everyone—from the patients to the doctors—seems genuinely happy with how things run. I wonder, do any of them have a director who is also a practicing physician? You know, someone who handles the clinical work in their own office while simultaneously running the whole show?

All at All, my take is this: if we actually put some competent people in charge of our healthcare system, they could—and honestly, they should—get everything back on track pretty quickly. If that happened, life would be a whole lot better for everyone.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services has zero business deciding which women are allowed to have children. That’s not his job. His actual job should be making sure the budget is handled properly so that anyone who wants to start a family can access the highest possible standards of medical care. Period.

Well, it's not exactly an auto mechanic, but rather an engineer who worked on engine design within a division of the conglomerate currently headed by Ferdinand Piech.🙂
I am merely pointing out the flaws here; I'm trying to show that the entire system is profoundly broken, and these half-hearted assessments and temporary fixes... they just aren't real solutions.
Watch out so we don't end up facing that typical American problem, where some cold-blooded manager just decides to cut the power to the non-profit department! It probably wouldn't be such a bad idea to have an insider positioned as the chief.

Susan Rodriguez4 said:As long as doctors—not economists—are the ones calling the shots on the financial side of healthcare, the system is going to remain a bottomless money pit. This constant lack of funding will inevitably stifle medical innovation and service quality, which only fuels more frustration for patients. It's a vicious cycle.
The American healthcare system is bleeding cash through a million different holes. It’s exactly like any other massive corporation suffering under incompetent leadership.
Look, I’ve never heard anyone claim that a pharmacist runs the entire pharmaceutical industry. You don't see a software engineer calling the shots at a massive tech firm, and you certainly don't have an auto mechanic running an entire car factory. So why on earth do we insist that hospitals have to be managed by doctors? Most of them aren't even trained for administration, and honestly, they don't know how to do the job. It isn't even their primary career—it’s just an extra burden tacked onto their actual medical duties.😲😲😲
And let's not even get started on how much harder this is than running any corporation or massive conglomerate. When you factor in that human life is an immeasurable economic variable, the whole job becomes infinitely more complex and demanding.

The way our healthcare system works is backwards: it actually rewards laziness. It doesn't matter if you're looking at primary care, specialists, or major hospitals—it’s the same broken logic everywhere. The Department of Health and Human Services gets a set budget, and most of that just goes straight to payroll. But the rest? If you actually step up and do your job, you're viewed as a liability. In this system, being productive is treated like a loss on the balance sheet. Basically, if you want to get ahead, just don't do anything.
It all starts with primary care being funded through this broken fee-for-service model. It basically creates a system where the harder a doctor actually works, the less they make. So, to ensure they can actually pay their bills and survive, they end up writing prescriptions that don't cost them a dime.
Secondary care has basically vanished now that they've dismantled the community health center system.
Hospitals are a whole different story.
While surgeons around the world are pivoting toward minimally invasive procedures—designed to get patients out of the hospital quickly and back to work in six days instead of six weeks—our system is stuck in the past. Here, they admit you five days before the surgery, keep you an extra five days after, and then toss you onto long-term disability for weeks. To make matters worse, Medicare gets billed for fifteen days of hospital stays, even if the actual procedure only required three. It’s a massive waste of resources. That surplus cash could be used in a million different ways—upgrading equipment, advanced training, or better patient care—but instead, it just vanishes into the bureaucracy.
Of course, this also brings up the issue of staffing shortages in certain facilities—not to mention how much easier it would be if we could actually speed up patient turnover.
It’s actually pretty fascinating to watch private clinics like State Farm or Sunce thrive. They aren't just getting by; they are absolutely killing it, and everyone—from the patients to the doctors—seems genuinely happy with how things run. I wonder, do any of them have a director who is also a practicing physician? You know, someone who handles the clinical work in their own office while simultaneously running the whole show?

All at All, my take is this: if we actually put some competent people in charge of our healthcare system, they could—and honestly, they should—get everything back on track pretty quickly. If that happened, life would be a whole lot better for everyone.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services has zero business deciding which women are allowed to have children. That’s not his job. His actual job should be making sure the budget is handled properly so that anyone who wants to start a family can access the highest possible standards of medical care. Period.

The director at Sun is a doctor. Whether they still maintain a practice, I suppose I can't say for sure, but even hospital administrators don't spend much time seeing patients (if they see them at all). Why are private facilities so profitable? Well, I guess it's because they focus strictly on fee-for-service diagnostics. There have certainly been instances where private hospitals haven't performed particularly well either.

Susan Rodriguez4 said:As long as doctors—not economists—are the ones calling the shots on the financial side of healthcare, the system is going to remain a bottomless money pit. This constant lack of funding will inevitably stifle medical innovation and service quality, which only fuels more frustration for patients. It's a vicious cycle.
The American healthcare system is bleeding cash through a million different holes. It’s exactly like any other massive corporation suffering under incompetent leadership.
Look, I’ve never heard anyone claim that a pharmacist runs the entire pharmaceutical industry. You don't see a software engineer calling the shots at a massive tech firm, and you certainly don't have an auto mechanic running an entire car factory. So why on earth do we insist that hospitals have to be managed by doctors? Most of them aren't even trained for administration, and honestly, they don't know how to do the job. It isn't even their primary career—it’s just an extra burden tacked onto their actual medical duties.😲😲😲
And let's not even get started on how much harder this is than running any corporation or massive conglomerate. When you factor in that human life is an immeasurable economic variable, the whole job becomes infinitely more complex and demanding.

The way our healthcare system works is backwards: it actually rewards laziness. It doesn't matter if you're looking at primary care, specialists, or major hospitals—it’s the same broken logic everywhere. The Department of Health and Human Services gets a set budget, and most of that just goes straight to payroll. But the rest? If you actually step up and do your job, you're viewed as a liability. In this system, being productive is treated like a loss on the balance sheet. Basically, if you want to get ahead, just don't do anything.
It all starts with primary care being funded through this broken fee-for-service model. It basically creates a system where the harder a doctor actually works, the less they make. So, to ensure they can actually pay their bills and survive, they end up writing prescriptions that don't cost them a dime.
Secondary care has basically vanished now that they've dismantled the community health center system.
Hospitals are a whole different story.
While surgeons around the world are pivoting toward minimally invasive procedures—designed to get patients out of the hospital quickly and back to work in six days instead of six weeks—our system is stuck in the past. Here, they admit you five days before the surgery, keep you an extra five days after, and then toss you onto long-term disability for weeks. To make matters worse, Medicare gets billed for fifteen days of hospital stays, even if the actual procedure only required three. It’s a massive waste of resources. That surplus cash could be used in a million different ways—upgrading equipment, advanced training, or better patient care—but instead, it just vanishes into the bureaucracy.
Of course, this also brings up the issue of staffing shortages in certain facilities—not to mention how much easier it would be if we could actually speed up patient turnover.
It’s actually pretty fascinating to watch private clinics like State Farm or Sunce thrive. They aren't just getting by; they are absolutely killing it, and everyone—from the patients to the doctors—seems genuinely happy with how things run. I wonder, do any of them have a director who is also a practicing physician? You know, someone who handles the clinical work in their own office while simultaneously running the whole show?

All at All, my take is this: if we actually put some competent people in charge of our healthcare system, they could—and honestly, they should—get everything back on track pretty quickly. If that happened, life would be a whole lot better for everyone.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services has zero business deciding which women are allowed to have children. That’s not his job. His actual job should be making sure the budget is handled properly so that anyone who wants to start a family can access the highest possible standards of medical care. Period.

But that is exactly what the Secretary does! He basically says, "Hmm, I won't allocate funds to these specific women since their chances are slim, so I'll give it to others instead..." It's a mess. And keep in mind, we are talking about astronomical costs here.
People don't seem to realize how expensive everything in healthcare is—pretty much everything except for the labor itself. I think the fundamental issue lies within the concept itself... though I suppose I've already made that point.

Did you know that doctors belong to a rare group of employees in America who actually earn LESS per hour when working overtime or on call than they do during regular business hours?! (Which, I guess, is technically against the law, though there is a legal loophole for it).

Kyle Lee7 said:Since you brought up the USA, it’s actually pretty fascinating how they topped a recent study on the best places to live. They looked at everything, including the quality of the healthcare system. Up until recently—and I know Obama started some reforms, but he didn't go nearly far enough—it was basically a "pay up or die" situation, or you end up drowning in debt. You either have no coverage at all, or you have a policy that covers absolutely everything except the one thing that actually happens to you. Honestly, if you look at it that way, it feels like one of the most inhumane societies out there, and I’d argue their healthcare system is probably the worst ever. So many people there just don't get treated because they can't afford it, and that includes the middle class and even the upper-middle class.
I honestly don't see the point of having such supposedly "genius," cutting-edge healthcare, world-class specialists, and elite hospitals if the average person can't access them. For whom is it intended?

Getting back to our own system here—there is so much that needs to change, and frankly, three pages wouldn't be enough to list it all, ranging from massive systemic failures to specific individual incidents.

Here is my top list of issues:
1. Milinović and the issues surrounding assisted reproduction.
2. Milinović and the merging of hospitals.
3. Milinović and Vuk Vrhovec.
4. As a chronic patient, I need specialist follow-ups—but the process is ridiculous. First, I have to see a GP via a referral, then wait for an appointment, then have the exam, then take the results back to the GP just to get prescriptions and more referrals for the tests the specialist requested. WHY? It’s as if I can't just receive subsequent referrals and prescriptions directly from the specialist after that first visit.
5. The current situation where clinics are handing out medications like candy, deciding what people should or shouldn't take, while chronic and critically ill patients have to live in fear wondering if their expensive life-saving medication will be approved. Why can't people just pay for their own nasal sprays or a box of antibiotics (which are overprescribed anyway), instead of forcing people to fight for their very lives?
6. Gynecologists who don't think it's necessary to send women for full swabs, opting for just a Pap smear instead—at least once! Not just right before pregnancy.
7. If I am on a permanent therapy regimen and need the exact same prescription and referral every single month, why am I forced to show up and wait two hours at the GP's office every time? Surely there could be a way to issue (semi)permanent orders.
8. The sheer rudeness and laziness of certain medical staff. You see nurses at the reception desks creating lines that stretch out the door simply because out of three people working, only one is actually helping while the other two are busy gossiping.
9. The level of hygiene and food quality in hospitals—we're talking dirty, stinking bathrooms and unappetizing cafeteria food that isn't fit for purpose, let alone meeting the dietary needs of recovering patients.

I suppose I have to agree with that.

Kyle Lee7 said:Since you brought up the USA, it’s actually pretty fascinating how they topped a recent study on the best places to live. They looked at everything, including the quality of the healthcare system. Up until recently—and I know Obama started some reforms, but he didn't go nearly far enough—it was basically a "pay up or die" situation, or you end up drowning in debt. You either have no coverage at all, or you have a policy that covers absolutely everything except the one thing that actually happens to you. Honestly, if you look at it that way, it feels like one of the most inhumane societies out there, and I’d argue their healthcare system is probably the worst ever. So many people there just don't get treated because they can't afford it, and that includes the middle class and even the upper-middle class.
I honestly don't see the point of having such supposedly "genius," cutting-edge healthcare, world-class specialists, and elite hospitals if the average person can't access them. For whom is it intended?

Getting back to our own system here—there is so much that needs to change, and frankly, three pages wouldn't be enough to list it all, ranging from massive systemic failures to specific individual incidents.

Here is my top list of issues:
1. Milinović and the issues surrounding assisted reproduction.
2. Milinović and the merging of hospitals.
3. Milinović and Vuk Vrhovec.
4. As a chronic patient, I need specialist follow-ups—but the process is ridiculous. First, I have to see a GP via a referral, then wait for an appointment, then have the exam, then take the results back to the GP just to get prescriptions and more referrals for the tests the specialist requested. WHY? It’s as if I can't just receive subsequent referrals and prescriptions directly from the specialist after that first visit.
5. The current situation where clinics are handing out medications like candy, deciding what people should or shouldn't take, while chronic and critically ill patients have to live in fear wondering if their expensive life-saving medication will be approved. Why can't people just pay for their own nasal sprays or a box of antibiotics (which are overprescribed anyway), instead of forcing people to fight for their very lives?
6. Gynecologists who don't think it's necessary to send women for full swabs, opting for just a Pap smear instead—at least once! Not just right before pregnancy.
7. If I am on a permanent therapy regimen and need the exact same prescription and referral every single month, why am I forced to show up and wait two hours at the GP's office every time? Surely there could be a way to issue (semi)permanent orders.
8. The sheer rudeness and laziness of certain medical staff. You see nurses at the reception desks creating lines that stretch out the door simply because out of three people working, only one is actually helping while the other two are busy gossiping.
9. The level of hygiene and food quality in hospitals—we're talking dirty, stinking bathrooms and unappetizing cafeteria food that isn't fit for purpose, let alone meeting the dietary needs of recovering patients.

I have to agree with that; those old-school partisan tactics have never actually yielded anything positive, not even once.

Kyle Lee7 said:Since you brought up the USA, it’s actually pretty fascinating how they topped a recent study on the best places to live. They looked at everything, including the quality of the healthcare system. Up until recently—and I know Obama started some reforms, but he didn't go nearly far enough—it was basically a "pay up or die" situation, or you end up drowning in debt. You either have no coverage at all, or you have a policy that covers absolutely everything except the one thing that actually happens to you. Honestly, if you look at it that way, it feels like one of the most inhumane societies out there, and I’d argue their healthcare system is probably the worst ever. So many people there just don't get treated because they can't afford it, and that includes the middle class and even the upper-middle class.
I honestly don't see the point of having such supposedly "genius," cutting-edge healthcare, world-class specialists, and elite hospitals if the average person can't access them. For whom is it intended?

Getting back to our own system here—there is so much that needs to change, and frankly, three pages wouldn't be enough to list it all, ranging from massive systemic failures to specific individual incidents.

Here is my top list of issues:
1. Milinović and the issues surrounding assisted reproduction.
2. Milinović and the merging of hospitals.
3. Milinović and Vuk Vrhovec.
4. As a chronic patient, I need specialist follow-ups—but the process is ridiculous. First, I have to see a GP via a referral, then wait for an appointment, then have the exam, then take the results back to the GP just to get prescriptions and more referrals for the tests the specialist requested. WHY? It’s as if I can't just receive subsequent referrals and prescriptions directly from the specialist after that first visit.
5. The current situation where clinics are handing out medications like candy, deciding what people should or shouldn't take, while chronic and critically ill patients have to live in fear wondering if their expensive life-saving medication will be approved. Why can't people just pay for their own nasal sprays or a box of antibiotics (which are overprescribed anyway), instead of forcing people to fight for their very lives?
6. Gynecologists who don't think it's necessary to send women for full swabs, opting for just a Pap smear instead—at least once! Not just right before pregnancy.
7. If I am on a permanent therapy regimen and need the exact same prescription and referral every single month, why am I forced to show up and wait two hours at the GP's office every time? Surely there could be a way to issue (semi)permanent orders.
8. The sheer rudeness and laziness of certain medical staff. You see nurses at the reception desks creating lines that stretch out the door simply because out of three people working, only one is actually helping while the other two are busy gossiping.
9. The level of hygiene and food quality in hospitals—we're talking dirty, stinking bathrooms and unappetizing cafeteria food that isn't fit for purpose, let alone meeting the dietary needs of recovering patients.

That is quite possibly the most glaring example imaginable; I suppose this is where you'll finally see just how fundamentally flawed this entire reform actually is. 😢

Kyle Lee7 said:Since you brought up the USA, it’s actually pretty fascinating how they topped a recent study on the best places to live. They looked at everything, including the quality of the healthcare system. Up until recently—and I know Obama started some reforms, but he didn't go nearly far enough—it was basically a "pay up or die" situation, or you end up drowning in debt. You either have no coverage at all, or you have a policy that covers absolutely everything except the one thing that actually happens to you. Honestly, if you look at it that way, it feels like one of the most inhumane societies out there, and I’d argue their healthcare system is probably the worst ever. So many people there just don't get treated because they can't afford it, and that includes the middle class and even the upper-middle class.
I honestly don't see the point of having such supposedly "genius," cutting-edge healthcare, world-class specialists, and elite hospitals if the average person can't access them. For whom is it intended?

Getting back to our own system here—there is so much that needs to change, and frankly, three pages wouldn't be enough to list it all, ranging from massive systemic failures to specific individual incidents.

Here is my top list of issues:
1. Milinović and the issues surrounding assisted reproduction.
2. Milinović and the merging of hospitals.
3. Milinović and Vuk Vrhovec.
4. As a chronic patient, I need specialist follow-ups—but the process is ridiculous. First, I have to see a GP via a referral, then wait for an appointment, then have the exam, then take the results back to the GP just to get prescriptions and more referrals for the tests the specialist requested. WHY? It’s as if I can't just receive subsequent referrals and prescriptions directly from the specialist after that first visit.
5. The current situation where clinics are handing out medications like candy, deciding what people should or shouldn't take, while chronic and critically ill patients have to live in fear wondering if their expensive life-saving medication will be approved. Why can't people just pay for their own nasal sprays or a box of antibiotics (which are overprescribed anyway), instead of forcing people to fight for their very lives?
6. Gynecologists who don't think it's necessary to send women for full swabs, opting for just a Pap smear instead—at least once! Not just right before pregnancy.
7. If I am on a permanent therapy regimen and need the exact same prescription and referral every single month, why am I forced to show up and wait two hours at the GP's office every time? Surely there could be a way to issue (semi)permanent orders.
8. The sheer rudeness and laziness of certain medical staff. You see nurses at the reception desks creating lines that stretch out the door simply because out of three people working, only one is actually helping while the other two are busy gossiping.
9. The level of hygiene and food quality in hospitals—we're talking dirty, stinking bathrooms and unappetizing cafeteria food that isn't fit for purpose, let alone meeting the dietary needs of recovering patients.

I suppose being a chronic patient changes your perspective quite a bit, though I suspect most people don't realize how different that reality is. Our healthcare system is fundamentally built on the premise that an expert manages your care while you collaborate with them, rather than following a completely deregulated or hyper-liberal model. It seems like many people mistakenly view their specialist—say, a diabetologist—as the ultimate authority in their lives, when in reality, your primary care physician should be the one steering the ship, acting as the central coordinator who consults specialists only when they need a second opinion or recommend specific follow-up tests.
What we’re looking at here is a fundamental crisis in primary care. I guess you could say that a huge chunk of the work currently being handled by specialists at major institutions—like the Mayo Clinic—could easily be managed by general practitioners without any real issues. They could handle hypertension treatments, manage diabetes cases (provided they aren't extreme), perform wound care, or even prescribe medication for depression. These aren't exactly complex medical feats, but I suppose patients today seem to have this irrational obsession with seeing a specialist for everything.
I suppose you're clearly young enough to be proactive about managing your own health, but in my experience, I found that most people—especially older patients—were far more appreciative when I took the time to actually walk them through specific procedures, explain what a disease really means, interpret their lab results, or just provide a concise summary of everything. Older folks generally require a much higher level of guidance than you probably do.

But I suppose I agree that we have a fundamental issue here: you send someone to an institution to deal with a specific problem, and then they just don't follow through completely... which is honestly quite tragic, because it seems the administrators are constantly at war with family doctors over money; for instance, some hospitals won't even let you use their own treatment while you're admitted, instead asking if you have your own supply from home first. Similarly, they might avoid sending you for a necessary test that could easily be done in-house, preferring instead to say; oh, it isn't urgent, it isn't vital, let someone else pick up the tab. It doesn't happen every single time, but I've seen it, and I guess that is really the deciding factor between a good department and a bad hospital.

Kyle Lee7 said:Since you brought up the USA, it’s actually pretty fascinating how they topped a recent study on the best places to live. They looked at everything, including the quality of the healthcare system. Up until recently—and I know Obama started some reforms, but he didn't go nearly far enough—it was basically a "pay up or die" situation, or you end up drowning in debt. You either have no coverage at all, or you have a policy that covers absolutely everything except the one thing that actually happens to you. Honestly, if you look at it that way, it feels like one of the most inhumane societies out there, and I’d argue their healthcare system is probably the worst ever. So many people there just don't get treated because they can't afford it, and that includes the middle class and even the upper-middle class.
I honestly don't see the point of having such supposedly "genius," cutting-edge healthcare, world-class specialists, and elite hospitals if the average person can't access them. For whom is it intended?

Getting back to our own system here—there is so much that needs to change, and frankly, three pages wouldn't be enough to list it all, ranging from massive systemic failures to specific individual incidents.

Here is my top list of issues:
1. Milinović and the issues surrounding assisted reproduction.
2. Milinović and the merging of hospitals.
3. Milinović and Vuk Vrhovec.
4. As a chronic patient, I need specialist follow-ups—but the process is ridiculous. First, I have to see a GP via a referral, then wait for an appointment, then have the exam, then take the results back to the GP just to get prescriptions and more referrals for the tests the specialist requested. WHY? It’s as if I can't just receive subsequent referrals and prescriptions directly from the specialist after that first visit.
5. The current situation where clinics are handing out medications like candy, deciding what people should or shouldn't take, while chronic and critically ill patients have to live in fear wondering if their expensive life-saving medication will be approved. Why can't people just pay for their own nasal sprays or a box of antibiotics (which are overprescribed anyway), instead of forcing people to fight for their very lives?
6. Gynecologists who don't think it's necessary to send women for full swabs, opting for just a Pap smear instead—at least once! Not just right before pregnancy.
7. If I am on a permanent therapy regimen and need the exact same prescription and referral every single month, why am I forced to show up and wait two hours at the GP's office every time? Surely there could be a way to issue (semi)permanent orders.
8. The sheer rudeness and laziness of certain medical staff. You see nurses at the reception desks creating lines that stretch out the door simply because out of three people working, only one is actually helping while the other two are busy gossiping.
9. The level of hygiene and food quality in hospitals—we're talking dirty, stinking bathrooms and unappetizing cafeteria food that isn't fit for purpose, let alone meeting the dietary needs of recovering patients.

It's because some fool wrote into the law that healthcare in America is accessible and free to everyone. Which, obviously, isn't true since you still have to cover your co-pays.
Though I do agree; I feel a sense of disgust seeing people throw tantrums just because they have to pay for some cough syrup. "Doctor, is there anything available that won't cost me anything?" I hear that every single day. I agree that people lack funds, but at the same time, most of these medications aren't even necessary for them.
The whole system has become inverted: some people seem to think that if a drug can be bought over the counter without a prescription, it isn't a real medicine but just some placebo, while others believe that everything worth having costs a fortune, so if you have to pay for it, it must be effective (which just causes them to lose all faith in the system).
A real-life example: a woman comes in her late 30s with a sore throat, a runny nose, and a cough that's lasted three days (! I honestly can't believe how many people think a cough becomes a serious symptom if it lasts longer than a day and a half!), I examine her, listen, and the findings show nothing but slightly swollen tonsils—that's it! I tell her: "What you have isn't dangerous and it will pass; it's just a sore throat and a cold; drink plenty of fluids, suck on some spicy lozenges, you don't even need special medication, just take Tylenol if a fever develops." And she responds: "Oh, so you don't think I need antibiotics?" I tell her: "No, there's no reason, no pus, lungs are clear..." and then she asks: "Well, can I at least get two days of sick leave before the weekend?" But that's just how Americans are...

Kyle Lee7 said:Since you brought up the USA, it’s actually pretty fascinating how they topped a recent study on the best places to live. They looked at everything, including the quality of the healthcare system. Up until recently—and I know Obama started some reforms, but he didn't go nearly far enough—it was basically a "pay up or die" situation, or you end up drowning in debt. You either have no coverage at all, or you have a policy that covers absolutely everything except the one thing that actually happens to you. Honestly, if you look at it that way, it feels like one of the most inhumane societies out there, and I’d argue their healthcare system is probably the worst ever. So many people there just don't get treated because they can't afford it, and that includes the middle class and even the upper-middle class.
I honestly don't see the point of having such supposedly "genius," cutting-edge healthcare, world-class specialists, and elite hospitals if the average person can't access them. For whom is it intended?

Getting back to our own system here—there is so much that needs to change, and frankly, three pages wouldn't be enough to list it all, ranging from massive systemic failures to specific individual incidents.

Here is my top list of issues:
1. Milinović and the issues surrounding assisted reproduction.
2. Milinović and the merging of hospitals.
3. Milinović and Vuk Vrhovec.
4. As a chronic patient, I need specialist follow-ups—but the process is ridiculous. First, I have to see a GP via a referral, then wait for an appointment, then have the exam, then take the results back to the GP just to get prescriptions and more referrals for the tests the specialist requested. WHY? It’s as if I can't just receive subsequent referrals and prescriptions directly from the specialist after that first visit.
5. The current situation where clinics are handing out medications like candy, deciding what people should or shouldn't take, while chronic and critically ill patients have to live in fear wondering if their expensive life-saving medication will be approved. Why can't people just pay for their own nasal sprays or a box of antibiotics (which are overprescribed anyway), instead of forcing people to fight for their very lives?
6. Gynecologists who don't think it's necessary to send women for full swabs, opting for just a Pap smear instead—at least once! Not just right before pregnancy.
7. If I am on a permanent therapy regimen and need the exact same prescription and referral every single month, why am I forced to show up and wait two hours at the GP's office every time? Surely there could be a way to issue (semi)permanent orders.
8. The sheer rudeness and laziness of certain medical staff. You see nurses at the reception desks creating lines that stretch out the door simply because out of three people working, only one is actually helping while the other two are busy gossiping.
9. The level of hygiene and food quality in hospitals—we're talking dirty, stinking bathrooms and unappetizing cafeteria food that isn't fit for purpose, let alone meeting the dietary needs of recovering patients.

Huh, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that, but you can always request the swabs. I don't know what the current guidelines are. :/

Kyle Lee7 said:Since you brought up the USA, it’s actually pretty fascinating how they topped a recent study on the best places to live. They looked at everything, including the quality of the healthcare system. Up until recently—and I know Obama started some reforms, but he didn't go nearly far enough—it was basically a "pay up or die" situation, or you end up drowning in debt. You either have no coverage at all, or you have a policy that covers absolutely everything except the one thing that actually happens to you. Honestly, if you look at it that way, it feels like one of the most inhumane societies out there, and I’d argue their healthcare system is probably the worst ever. So many people there just don't get treated because they can't afford it, and that includes the middle class and even the upper-middle class.
I honestly don't see the point of having such supposedly "genius," cutting-edge healthcare, world-class specialists, and elite hospitals if the average person can't access them. For whom is it intended?

Getting back to our own system here—there is so much that needs to change, and frankly, three pages wouldn't be enough to list it all, ranging from massive systemic failures to specific individual incidents.

Here is my top list of issues:
1. Milinović and the issues surrounding assisted reproduction.
2. Milinović and the merging of hospitals.
3. Milinović and Vuk Vrhovec.
4. As a chronic patient, I need specialist follow-ups—but the process is ridiculous. First, I have to see a GP via a referral, then wait for an appointment, then have the exam, then take the results back to the GP just to get prescriptions and more referrals for the tests the specialist requested. WHY? It’s as if I can't just receive subsequent referrals and prescriptions directly from the specialist after that first visit.
5. The current situation where clinics are handing out medications like candy, deciding what people should or shouldn't take, while chronic and critically ill patients have to live in fear wondering if their expensive life-saving medication will be approved. Why can't people just pay for their own nasal sprays or a box of antibiotics (which are overprescribed anyway), instead of forcing people to fight for their very lives?
6. Gynecologists who don't think it's necessary to send women for full swabs, opting for just a Pap smear instead—at least once! Not just right before pregnancy.
7. If I am on a permanent therapy regimen and need the exact same prescription and referral every single month, why am I forced to show up and wait two hours at the GP's office every time? Surely there could be a way to issue (semi)permanent orders.
8. The sheer rudeness and laziness of certain medical staff. You see nurses at the reception desks creating lines that stretch out the door simply because out of three people working, only one is actually helping while the other two are busy gossiping.
9. The level of hygiene and food quality in hospitals—we're talking dirty, stinking bathrooms and unappetizing cafeteria food that isn't fit for purpose, let alone meeting the dietary needs of recovering patients.

They are actually trying to fix this by using recurring prescriptions and digital referrals. But, I suppose the logic behind our system is that a family doctor needs to maintain oversight of your overall health and treatment plan. If you say you need referrals every month, then I guess one has to wonder what exactly you are doing with them?

Kyle Lee7 said:Since you brought up the USA, it’s actually pretty fascinating how they topped a recent study on the best places to live. They looked at everything, including the quality of the healthcare system. Up until recently—and I know Obama started some reforms, but he didn't go nearly far enough—it was basically a "pay up or die" situation, or you end up drowning in debt. You either have no coverage at all, or you have a policy that covers absolutely everything except the one thing that actually happens to you. Honestly, if you look at it that way, it feels like one of the most inhumane societies out there, and I’d argue their healthcare system is probably the worst ever. So many people there just don't get treated because they can't afford it, and that includes the middle class and even the upper-middle class.
I honestly don't see the point of having such supposedly "genius," cutting-edge healthcare, world-class specialists, and elite hospitals if the average person can't access them. For whom is it intended?

Getting back to our own system here—there is so much that needs to change, and frankly, three pages wouldn't be enough to list it all, ranging from massive systemic failures to specific individual incidents.

Here is my top list of issues:
1. Milinović and the issues surrounding assisted reproduction.
2. Milinović and the merging of hospitals.
3. Milinović and Vuk Vrhovec.
4. As a chronic patient, I need specialist follow-ups—but the process is ridiculous. First, I have to see a GP via a referral, then wait for an appointment, then have the exam, then take the results back to the GP just to get prescriptions and more referrals for the tests the specialist requested. WHY? It’s as if I can't just receive subsequent referrals and prescriptions directly from the specialist after that first visit.
5. The current situation where clinics are handing out medications like candy, deciding what people should or shouldn't take, while chronic and critically ill patients have to live in fear wondering if their expensive life-saving medication will be approved. Why can't people just pay for their own nasal sprays or a box of antibiotics (which are overprescribed anyway), instead of forcing people to fight for their very lives?
6. Gynecologists who don't think it's necessary to send women for full swabs, opting for just a Pap smear instead—at least once! Not just right before pregnancy.
7. If I am on a permanent therapy regimen and need the exact same prescription and referral every single month, why am I forced to show up and wait two hours at the GP's office every time? Surely there could be a way to issue (semi)permanent orders.
8. The sheer rudeness and laziness of certain medical staff. You see nurses at the reception desks creating lines that stretch out the door simply because out of three people working, only one is actually helping while the other two are busy gossiping.
9. The level of hygiene and food quality in hospitals—we're talking dirty, stinking bathrooms and unappetizing cafeteria food that isn't fit for purpose, let alone meeting the dietary needs of recovering patients.

I really shouldn't meddle in how other people do their jobs or judge their work ethic, but honestly, some of them are just complete animals.

Kyle Lee7 said:Since you brought up the USA, it’s actually pretty fascinating how they topped a recent study on the best places to live. They looked at everything, including the quality of the healthcare system. Up until recently—and I know Obama started some reforms, but he didn't go nearly far enough—it was basically a "pay up or die" situation, or you end up drowning in debt. You either have no coverage at all, or you have a policy that covers absolutely everything except the one thing that actually happens to you. Honestly, if you look at it that way, it feels like one of the most inhumane societies out there, and I’d argue their healthcare system is probably the worst ever. So many people there just don't get treated because they can't afford it, and that includes the middle class and even the upper-middle class.
I honestly don't see the point of having such supposedly "genius," cutting-edge healthcare, world-class specialists, and elite hospitals if the average person can't access them. For whom is it intended?

Getting back to our own system here—there is so much that needs to change, and frankly, three pages wouldn't be enough to list it all, ranging from massive systemic failures to specific individual incidents.

Here is my top list of issues:
1. Milinović and the issues surrounding assisted reproduction.
2. Milinović and the merging of hospitals.
3. Milinović and Vuk Vrhovec.
4. As a chronic patient, I need specialist follow-ups—but the process is ridiculous. First, I have to see a GP via a referral, then wait for an appointment, then have the exam, then take the results back to the GP just to get prescriptions and more referrals for the tests the specialist requested. WHY? It’s as if I can't just receive subsequent referrals and prescriptions directly from the specialist after that first visit.
5. The current situation where clinics are handing out medications like candy, deciding what people should or shouldn't take, while chronic and critically ill patients have to live in fear wondering if their expensive life-saving medication will be approved. Why can't people just pay for their own nasal sprays or a box of antibiotics (which are overprescribed anyway), instead of forcing people to fight for their very lives?
6. Gynecologists who don't think it's necessary to send women for full swabs, opting for just a Pap smear instead—at least once! Not just right before pregnancy.
7. If I am on a permanent therapy regimen and need the exact same prescription and referral every single month, why am I forced to show up and wait two hours at the GP's office every time? Surely there could be a way to issue (semi)permanent orders.
8. The sheer rudeness and laziness of certain medical staff. You see nurses at the reception desks creating lines that stretch out the door simply because out of three people working, only one is actually helping while the other two are busy gossiping.
9. The level of hygiene and food quality in hospitals—we're talking dirty, stinking bathrooms and unappetizing cafeteria food that isn't fit for purpose, let alone meeting the dietary needs of recovering patients.

I suppose I have to agree... the food can be absolute garbage; and it is quite strange how much it varies from one hospital to the next. My experience at the Mayo Clinic was actually great, but my time at the local county hospital was just awful; for breakfast, they literally serve you a single slice of whole wheat bread, one tiny sliver of bologna, and a small cup of black coffee.

Interferon often brings along side effects that feel remarkably like a heavy flu; I suppose you might deal with high fevers, muscle aches, or just this overwhelming sense of fatigue...
Since there are so many different types of interferon being developed constantly, and they're used for such a wide range of conditions, things get complicated—it’s hard to say for sure if you can just get it with a prescription. In the US, even though certain drugs are approved for specific illnesses, getting them covered can be a real headache because insurance companies, like Medicare, don't always agree that using a drug for a particular condition is actually necessary or justified, so they won't foot the bill.
So, I guess the real question of whether you can actually get hold of interferon really comes down to asking a specialist, since everything depends entirely on your specific diagnosis.

The quality of a healthcare system is fundamentally tied to how much people actually trust it; at least, that's what one study suggested. While that statement seems pretty self-explanatory on its own, I guess there are some hidden layers to it. For instance, you often hear people claiming that things were "better back in the day," even though most metrics suggest otherwise—it just seemed that way because the top brass of the former country used to get treated in public hospitals, whereas our former president preferred getting his care in America, and the long-standing former Secretary of Health used to go all the way to Austria.

And if you look at it from a professional standpoint? Well, personally, I'm not a fan. People are being overworked, working under terrible conditions, and patients constantly demand things from you—they expect their ten minutes of undivided attention and basic humanity. They don't seem to realize that in a general practice serving roughly 2,500 people, we see about 80 to 100 patients a day; thank God most are just coming in for prescriptions, which should be handled by e-prescriptions, but there are also plenty of malicious individuals who expect a doctor to lie or falsify medical records just to suit them. As for the administrators... well, they vary, but many are incredibly stingy when it comes to staffing. Some clinics are running on rotating staff, and things are just disorganized, even for the on-call doctors. There’s no real distinction between institutions or physicians either; whether you're being treated in a small rural hospital or a major Mayo Clinic, the doctor gets paid the same and sees the same types of patients (take, for example, a young woman treating a chronic but well-managed condition at a major metropolitan center, when she could receive just as high-quality care at a local hospital back in her hometown...). Then there's the ER with its cranky staff, or simply people who just don't feel like working, yet for some reason, it's tolerated for certain individuals...
Then there is the overwhelming amount of paperwork, which, paradoxically, has actually increased in some places due to digitization; it drives a wedge between the doctor and the patient. There is much less conversation now, and much less trust. The family doctor has essentially become a glorified clerk for referral forms, which is just awful. And as for medical documentation... more doctors have told me that the primary purpose of keeping records nowadays is simply to defend oneself against commissions, inspections from Medicare, and lawsuits from patients!
Furthermore, there's a real lack of malpractice insurance; I mean, I think doctors ought to have an insurance policy to cover damages resulting from errors. Because as it stands, these issues just drag on through the courts and the news cycle. This kind of error insurance is standard in many other countries. It's important because people do—or at least I believe they do—realize that compromising someone's health or even death is a very possible outcome of any medical activity, and acknowledging that through financial compensation would provide some peace of mind. Instead, doctors and hospitals spend all their energy trying to prove their innocence because every lawsuit and settlement drains money straight from the budget.
Finally, there is what I consider a massive oversight by Medicare that alienates providers from patients and limits our authority. I can't always prescribe the medication I want for a patient; I can only prescribe what I'm permitted to, even if it is medically correct or even preferable, otherwise, Medicare penalizes me.
Personally, I've always liked the Belgian system. Over there, you first pay the full price—which isn't cheap—to the doctor, and then about 80% of it is reimbursed directly into your checking account (though it varies, as there are caps for particularly expensive treatments and specific populations that pay nothing). Belgium has one of the best healthcare systems in the world.

Christian White3 said:I suppose in a massive metropolis like New York City, you’d expect teams and vehicles to be distributed strategically across different boroughs, perhaps having their own dedicated municipal parking lots so each unit could station one or two teams locally...

But honestly, the paramedics are rarely just sitting around on Heinzelov; once they head out on a call, they don't really circle back to base, they just keep patrolling the city. I mean, unless it's lunch, though obviously they don't all break at once. New York City is huge, sure, but with sirens blaring, you can get pretty much anywhere fairly quickly. This setup isn't actually as bad as people make it out to be, I guess.

Christian White3 said:From my amateur perspective, if the main priority is emergency traffic response, then this whole system is a mess because people tend to exaggerate their symptoms just to get an ambulance to show up, when in reality it might just be two minor injuries. The most critical situations are heart attacks and strokes, whereas everything else is secondary, but I suppose a general practitioner wouldn't necessarily know how to distinguish them, nor would the people overseeing them.

Oh boy, there's no need to get so worked up. I think your premise is fundamentally flawed, because the truth is that people more often fake heart attacks and strokes than accidents. Most people wouldn't even recognize the warning signs of a heart attack or a stroke until it's far too late—specifically when talking about strokes. Diagnosing a cardiac event or a stroke isn't exactly some simple task, either.

And by the way, you really ought to trust your primary care physician, because if you don't, they won't be of any help to you at all; you're probably better off just finding a new doctor. In certain countries, people spend almost their entire lives relying solely on primary care, and frankly, if a doctor in those places refers you to a hospital, it's usually a sign that things are going poorly.
In my personal opinion, the healthcare crisis here in America is inextricably linked to the crisis within primary care. That system needs to be overhauled so that primary doctors can once again become the central pillar of the entire medical infrastructure.

nimblesurfer30! Spot on, concise and accurate. I’m with you on this one.

People really ought to understand that emergency services aren't meant to deal with every little issue a primary care physician could easily handle. Unfortunately, that seems to be what most of our calls end up being. The vast majority, actually.

I suppose I can share a few more insider stories.
The major metropolitan units, like the ones here in New York City, stay pretty well-staffed, but all the rural counties are absolutely struggling to find personnel (even though the pay for EMS is actually quite good!). It’s mostly just very young doctors, usually fresh out of residency or their initial training. It’s a shame, really, because this is exactly the kind of work where experience is everything—I remember them saying that learning to distinguish what’s critical from what isn't is one of the most valuable skills you can have. This job burns you out. Between the shifts and the double shifts—sometimes running 17 or 24 hours straight—it takes a toll. And while some of the rural crews spend most of their time just sitting around, those of us in the city center don't exactly get a break. Take our unit in New York City, for instance; we might only head back to the station on Heinzelov once or twice, but the rest of the time we're just circling the city because you finish one call and immediately get dispatched to the next. You barely even have time for lunch.
Emergency response is categorized into levels—which is why, unlike in some other countries such as Belgium, we don't have sirens and lights blaring constantly for every single call—and we don't respond to every level with the same level of urgency. A car accident or an injured child on the road will ALWAYS take precedence over anything else. That’s actually what causes delays most of the time; your call is received, the ambulance is en route, but then they get diverted to something more critical... although people haven't really complained to us about waiting too long; if anything, they seem surprised at how fast we arrive, since we're often redirected from a nearby unit rather than coming straight from dispatch.
On average—at least for my crew—we’d handle about ten interventions per shift. Out of those ten... maybe seven or eight could easily be handled by a family doctor, or frankly, don't even require an ambulance. For example: a 75-year-old woman who called because her blood pressure was 160/100 that morning (but by the time we arrived, it had dropped back to her usual 140/90), women dealing with "stuck" issues that still allow them to walk around, fevers, headaches, or drunk people. There are kids hoping to land their parents in the hospital, and elderly folks who pass out and are met right at the gate because their children, who called it in, couldn't be bothered to wait. Or that 80-year-old lady who hadn't had a bowel movement in three days (yes, they called 911! yes, we showed up! yes, the doctor spent way too long lecturing her about the benefits of yogurt, grapefruit, and prunes...), and then there are countless young women dealing with various romantic drama... ugh, it's a lot.
There was this one time in real life, we were transporting a patient to the hospital when the dispatcher calls in asking who's free, telling us to hurry because there are three accidents and they urgently need an ambulance (hm...).
Could it be better? Yes, it could! It has to be! They are finally introducing specialized emergency medicine certifications now, which I hope will help. Also, the EMS system needs to take on more responsibilities so we aren't just driving around constantly, but it’s still hard to avoid those cases mentioned above, because people somehow think that if they aren't happy with their GP or their appointment time at the hospital, they can just call 911.
And I also agree that there are certainly idiots doing this job, but first, you have to realize how sad it is that the system even allows it... it's a difficult profession.