Guest guest Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 I recently had an appointment with another FP in our community who works out of a hospital-owned practice up the street. I had a 1 o’clock appointment and got there about 10 minutes early. The receptionist, who was eating her lunch at the front desk (a violation of OSHA standards), greeted me and passed me on to the nurse. His nurse promptly introduced herself and showed me to his office which was piled high with charts—some of which had not been moved for some time (dust on the surface). They moved the charts off the couch onto the floor so I would have a place to sit down, but they were still well within view (?HIPAA violations). The physician ran in after about 10 minutes and told me it would only be a few more minutes before we could meet; he was a little behind. He then went back out in the hall and I heard him exclaim, “Where did this 10:30 patient come from?” I patiently waited for another 30 minutes, where I was able to listen in on nurses loudly discussing Mrs. ’ desire for more flexeril too early, etc, etc (all further violations of patient confidentiality). I finally was able to have 10 minutes with the physician and left to get back to my office by 2:00 so my scheduled patient would not have to wait. Overall, the office was complete chaos. Not a single “healing aura” to be found. But it made me think of how wonderful it is to be able to practice medicine in the low-overhead manner. I encourage everyone who is getting worn out trying to be a business-owner, biller, doctor, HIPPA compliance officer, etc to take a few minutes out and to go to a “traditional” office and remember how horrible it is. As for me, an hour was about all I could stand. Jonh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 I also know of another office that this may be specific to. A solo general internist has kind of taken me " under his wing " and offered to introduce me to the various specialists that habitate the local major hospital campus. The couple of times I went to his office found me waiting 15-30 minutes past our appointed meeting time as he finished up with patients. His office was a mess, with charts piled up on the sofa. He has a receptionist and a nurse in his office, too. He told me that he has over 2000 patients, and even though his practice has been closed for the past couple of years, he finds he still can't say no to patients who ask, " Can you squeeze in my Aunt Myrtle? Pleeease? " He struggles to get out of the office on time, and home to his family. I look at him and think, " I hope this is not how I'm going to be in a few years. " I much prefer my slow-paced practice where I spent an hour and a half with a patient for a first-time physical, but I know it probably won't last. Seto > this may also be specific to that office > > > I recently had an appointment with another FP in our community who > works > > out of a hospital-owned practice up the street. I had a 1 o'clock > > appointment and got there about 10 minutes early. The receptionist, > who > > was eating her lunch at the front desk (a violation of OSHA > standards), > > greeted me and passed me on to the nurse. His nurse promptly > introduced > > herself and showed me to his office which was piled high with > > charts-some of which had not been moved for some time (dust on the > > surface). They moved the charts off the couch onto the floor so I > would > > have a place to sit down, but they were still well within view > (?HIPAA > > violations). The physician ran in after about 10 minutes and told > me it > > would only be a few more minutes before we could meet; he was a > little > > behind. He then went back out in the hall and I heard him exclaim, > > " Where did this 10:30 patient come from? " I patiently waited for > another > > 30 minutes, where I was able to listen in on nurses loudly > discussing > > Mrs. ' desire for more flexeril too early, etc, etc (all > further > > violations of patient confidentiality). I finally was able to have > 10 > > minutes with the physician and left to get back to my office by > 2:00 so > > my scheduled patient would not have to wait. Overall, the office was > > complete chaos. Not a single " healing aura " to be found. But it > made me > > think of how wonderful it is to be able to practice medicine in the > > low-overhead manner. I encourage everyone who is getting worn out > trying > > to be a business-owner, biller, doctor, HIPPA compliance officer, > etc to > > take a few minutes out and to go to a " traditional " office and > remember > > how horrible it is. As for me, an hour was about all I could stand. > Jonh > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 this may also be specific to that office > I recently had an appointment with another FP in our community who works > out of a hospital-owned practice up the street. I had a 1 o'clock > appointment and got there about 10 minutes early. The receptionist, who > was eating her lunch at the front desk (a violation of OSHA standards), > greeted me and passed me on to the nurse. His nurse promptly introduced > herself and showed me to his office which was piled high with > charts-some of which had not been moved for some time (dust on the > surface). They moved the charts off the couch onto the floor so I would > have a place to sit down, but they were still well within view (?HIPAA > violations). The physician ran in after about 10 minutes and told me it > would only be a few more minutes before we could meet; he was a little > behind. He then went back out in the hall and I heard him exclaim, > " Where did this 10:30 patient come from? " I patiently waited for another > 30 minutes, where I was able to listen in on nurses loudly discussing > Mrs. ' desire for more flexeril too early, etc, etc (all further > violations of patient confidentiality). I finally was able to have 10 > minutes with the physician and left to get back to my office by 2:00 so > my scheduled patient would not have to wait. Overall, the office was > complete chaos. Not a single " healing aura " to be found. But it made me > think of how wonderful it is to be able to practice medicine in the > low-overhead manner. I encourage everyone who is getting worn out trying > to be a business-owner, biller, doctor, HIPPA compliance officer, etc to > take a few minutes out and to go to a " traditional " office and remember > how horrible it is. As for me, an hour was about all I could stand. Jonh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 Agreed, but I unfortunately came from an office very much like that one. Part of the sensitivity I have to these issues is that I was having “flashbacks” of the medicine I had to practice when I was in the big group setting. Re: never going back this may also be specific to that office > I recently had an appointment with another FP in our community who works > out of a hospital-owned practice up the street. I had a 1 o'clock > appointment and got there about 10 minutes early. The receptionist, who > was eating her lunch at the front desk (a violation of OSHA standards), > greeted me and passed me on to the nurse. His nurse promptly introduced > herself and showed me to his office which was piled high with > charts-some of which had not been moved for some time (dust on the > surface). They moved the charts off the couch onto the floor so I would > have a place to sit down, but they were still well within view (?HIPAA > violations). The physician ran in after about 10 minutes and told me it > would only be a few more minutes before we could meet; he was a little > behind. He then went back out in the hall and I heard him exclaim, > " Where did this 10:30 patient come from? " I patiently waited for another > 30 minutes, where I was able to listen in on nurses loudly discussing > Mrs. ' desire for more flexeril too early, etc, etc (all further > violations of patient confidentiality). I finally was able to have 10 > minutes with the physician and left to get back to my office by 2:00 so > my scheduled patient would not have to wait. Overall, the office was > complete chaos. Not a single " healing aura " to be found. But it made me > think of how wonderful it is to be able to practice medicine in the > low-overhead manner. I encourage everyone who is getting worn out trying > to be a business-owner, biller, doctor, HIPPA compliance officer, etc to > take a few minutes out and to go to a " traditional " office and remember > how horrible it is. As for me, an hour was about all I could stand. Jonh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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