Private clinics for gastroscopy?

urbanseal6 said:Ugh, what an absolute jerk!
And anyone who doesn't question his "expertise" is even worse!
Honestly, I’d have gone straight to a department head or someone... or just chewed him out right then and there for acting like that. Seriously, Jose Miller3, you poor thing! 😢

Well, I actually did chew him out... totally went off on him!

I think I told him I hoped someone would go throw a party with some weed or something while he was getting a colonoscopy...

allegra said:Are you absolutely certain that it was actually a personal cell phone...

In most hospitals across America, there’s a standard protocol where on-call physicians are issued official mobile phones to carry during their shifts... so, if a doctor happens to be on duty that day, it’s entirely possible that the dedicated pager or work phone would start ringing... they might be getting called in for an emergency endoscopy in another department, or perhaps they've been summoned to the ICU...

I suppose that's one way to look at it... 🙄
I honestly had no idea about that...
I had a feeling this was what was happening, especially seeing how visibly frustrated Jose Miller3 seemed to be about the whole situation... I mean, a woman isn't going to get that upset just because a doctor mentioned an emergency; it was perfectly obvious that they were having a private conversation...
I have to say, I’ve actually been in that exact same position myself... there I was, sitting in the dentist's chair with my mouth stretched wide open, stuffed full of cotton, and that little suction tube was shoved right under my tongue, which was about as comfortable as you can imagine. Then, out of nowhere, my dentist's phone starts ringing. He spent what felt like five whole minutes chatting away with someone, smiling and laughing while he tried to nail down some weekend plans, all while I just sat there completely helpless... 🙄 !
It wasn't even my intention to suggest that I couldn't manage having official work phones, but honestly, this situation has gone completely overboard...😠

Jose Miller3 said:and I totally laid into him too... just absolutely shredded him!

I think I actually told him that I hoped someone would go out and throw a full game of blackjack while he was stuck undergoing his colonoscopy...

😂 😂 😂

👍 better yet, poker! 😁

But honestly, you can't even fight back against that kind of behavior, which is the absolute worst part... if you had tried to file a formal complaint with the department head, the hospital board, or heaven knows who else, they probably would have just turned it around on you and made it seem like YOU were being petty...🙄

I’ve actually been to Rib twice now, and honestly, I thought it was pretty decent 😁

urbanseal6 said:😲 😲 😲
Good grief!!
I’d sue them!
It’s ridiculous because every single medical facility has those signs everywhere:
PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES!
Funny how that rule only applies to patients—it seems doctors get a free pass! 🙂

Exactly, we’re the privileged ones. We even have to carry official work phones on us during our shifts just so people can always reach us...
By the way... during surgeries, we actually listen to music, chat, tell jokes, and swap recipes...
Do you really think pilots just sit there in total silence, staring blankly ahead?
🙂

nimbleskipper13 said:Yeah, we're pretty lucky, aren't we?

Hold up—are you seriously trying to tell me it’s totally fine for a doctor to just leave a patient sitting there with a tube shoved down their throat while they take a private phone call for a few minutes?

That's just trash...

I mean, sure, using an official work phone is one thing, but nobody should be expected to just sit there and take that kind of disrespect.

rustymoose54 said:Wait a second, are you seriously suggesting it's okay for a doctor to just leave a patient mid-gastroscopy, tube still in their throat, to take a private phone call for a few minutes?

That's ridiculous.

Using an official work phone is one thing, but no patient should ever have to tolerate that kind of behavior.

Of course it's NOT OKAY! But this is simply a matter of one individual's lack of professionalism and basic manners. We shouldn't lump this in with the broader category of "medical sins" that everyone is so quick to accept—like waiting weeks for a procedure (have you ever considered how many patients are assigned per doctor, or the sheer number of exams a physician is forced to perform daily due to the quotas set by Medicare?), or those urban legends about bribes and unprofessional conduct...

It's the same as a clerk at a government office taking a personal call while someone is standing right there, or a mechanic walking off the job to grab a drink with a friend while your car is on the lift...
Every profession has its own ethics, including janitorial work. What all these people have in common is a lack of discipline... and let's be honest, there are plenty of doctors out there who lack it too.

Look, being a skilled doctor has absolutely nothing to do with having zero tact or being straight-up rude. I personally know some world-class physicians, professors, and even academics who are such total jerks and lack any basic manners it’s actually mind-blowing...
exactly, anyone with half a brain wouldn't confuse bedside manner with medical expertise...
🙂

So, I went to this private clinic over by Times Square—honestly, I can't recall the exact name of the place anymore. But what I do remember is that the whole thing was surprisingly smooth, both during and after the procedure. The doctor was actually great; he spent a few minutes just chatting me up first, probably trying to settle my nerves or something. Then, with the nurse's help, he gets moving with the procedure while you get to watch your stomach on a color monitor... mmm, pretty cool! Seriously though, everything went off without a hitch! It’s just that the final bill wasn't exactly "sweet" if you know what I mean...

I’m just skimming through all the entries here, so if I end up repeating myself...
Look, if you're in NYC, Dr. Rotkov is an excellent private gastroenterologist.
A colleague from San Francisco highly recommended him.

Generally speaking, based on what I've gathered from asking around, there's a real difference between getting a scope at a hospital versus seeing a private specialist. Private doctors usually offer some kind of mild sedative—something safe and affordable that actually makes these uncomfortable procedures bearable, whereas hospitals just don't bother with it.

nimbleskipper13 said:Look, obviously it’s NOT OKAY! But honestly, that’s just one person being rude and poorly raised—you can't lump every single bad doctor together because of one jerk.

Yeah, duh. Just like pretty much everything else in this crazy life...

I’m constantly stuck dealing with different doctors myself (as a patient, obviously) and I haven't actually had any horror stories. What I *have* noticed is that most doctors basically have zero time to actually talk to you—not even their fault, really—and I feel like things would be way better if we actually had the chance for some real communication. But hey, with the way healthcare funding is looking and how many patients are flooding in, it’s a total uphill battle.

And here's another thing that's been bugging me: most doctors are insanely proud of those fancy academic titles. God forbid you call an adjunct professor anything less than "Doctor" or whatever... 😁

It probably irritates some patients, or maybe they just find it kind of funny when someone who actually holds a PhD or a high-level research title walks in... 🤣

Sorry for the tangent...

quiettrucker8 said:I actually visited a private specialist clinic near Times Square, though I can't quite recall the specific name of the practice anymore. What I do remember, however, is how incredibly smooth everything went, both during and after the actual procedure. The doctor was truly wonderful; he took a moment just to chat with me first, likely to help ease any nerves, and then, with his nurse assisting, they began the process while I watched my stomach on a high-def color monitor... it was actually quite fascinating to watch. Honestly, the whole experience was completely seamless and stress-free! My only real complaint was that the final bill wasn't exactly easy on the wallet...

How's it going?

rustymoose54 said:Wait, hold on... are you seriously telling me it’s okay for a doctor to just leave a patient mid-gastroscopy—tube still stuck in their throat—to take a private phone call for a few minutes?

If that ever happened to me, I wouldn't just sit there... I'd be writing letters to the doctor, the hospital director, the Secretary of Health, and the local news stations...

Melissa Cruz2 said:If anything like that ever happened to me, I’d be writing letters left and right—to him, the hospital director, the Secretary of Health, even the local newspapers...

And honestly, Melissa Cruz2, I would probably take the exact same approach, though I can't help but wonder if it would actually make any difference in the end...
I suspect that, sadly, it wouldn't... 😢

Melissa Cruz2 said:If that ever happened to me, I’d be sending letters left and right—to the hospital director, the Secretary of Health, even the local papers.

But honestly? Within two months, everyone would have moved on, and Washington wouldn't lift a finger, just like they aren't doing anything now. People would be talking about it all day, then by tomorrow morning, it would just be old news. 👎

If these kinds of letters started hitting these addresses on a regular basis, things wouldn't just slide by unnoticed... One letter doesn't mean much, sure, but if we're seeing three a day—and honestly, there's enough material for way more than that—you could actually start making some noise.

urbanseal6, you don't necessarily have to go through with a gastroscopy. I’ve actually had two done myself, and honestly, I just got lucky with finding doctors who were really decent about it. You could always head over to a lab instead; they can run some blood work to check if that Helicobacter is lurking in there or not. I was actually just in for tests recently, and remarkably, I didn't even struggle with swallowing the tube this time! It's true that a gastroscopy gives you the clearest picture of what's going on with your stomach, but I guess it really all comes down to which specialist you end up sitting across from.

Melissa Cruz2 said:If these kinds of letters started hitting those offices on a regular basis, things wouldn't just slide by unnoticed. A single letter doesn't amount to much, sure, but if you start seeing three a day—and honestly, there’s enough material for way more than that—you might actually be able to make some headway.

Oh, honey, if you only knew the sheer volume of junk mail flying around... you wouldn't be so certain that nobody cares. Do you really think the general public is paying attention? Maybe ten thousand people out of the whole country, but for everyone else, it's all noise. They’re too busy obsessing over who Britney Spears is dating, what she’s wearing, or which celebrity was spotted skiing in Aspen. That's what the tabloids sell you, not the actual reality unfolding right in front of your eyes. It's honestly a little heartbreaking.

Michael Fox46 said:urbanseal6, you don't necessarily have to go through with the gastroscopy; I’ve had two done myself, and I was lucky enough to end up with a really decent doctor both times. You could always just head to a local lab to get a blood test to check for the presence of bacteria instead. I actually went recently, and thankfully, they didn't make me swallow the tube again. It’s true that a gastroscopy gives the clearest picture of what's happening in your stomach, but honestly, it all depends on which specialist you happen to get...

I hear you, Michael Fox46, but I already did one of those breath tests for Helicobacter and the results came back negative...
It’s such a shame, because if I actually had the bacteria, they’d just give me some antibiotics and the whole thing would be settled...
My doctor was quite insistent that I need to schedule the gastroscopy and a biopsy... 😢 😢 precisely because the bacteria isn't there!
Part of me almost wishes I just had the bacteria...
🙂

urbanseal6 said:Look, I get what you're saying, Michael Fox46, but I actually just went in for that breath test for Helicobacter and everything came back negative.
It’s honestly such a bummer because if I actually had the bacteria, they’d just throw some antibiotics at me and call it a day.
Instead, my doctor told me I need to schedule a consultation with a GI specialist and get a stomach biopsy 😢 😢just because the bacteria isn't there!
I mean, honestly? I almost wish I had the bacteria!
🙂

Man, I don't know what else to say besides... "my heart goes out to you." 😁 😁