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Have you ever needed any significant healthcare in the US? Putting aside the financial extortion that attracts the most attention, the overall system has been t

Have you ever needed any significant healthcare in the US? Putting aside the financial extortion that attracts the most attention, the overall system has been thoroughly trashed by the "insurance" cartels. Appointments have been diced up into 10-15 minute blips, often with a different doctor every time (group practice). You get just enough time for some pleasantries, they tell you their pre-canned suggestion, and then you get one or maybe two questions before they start pushing you out the door with a broom. And that's presenting as a reasonably intelligent person with means. Never mind having to advocate for someone in the hospital and be continually chummy with the nurses so they see your family member as a person worth their stretched attention rather than just another body to keep warm and checklisted, while also nudging them to the mitigate the systematic incompetence but not too much lest you end up on the shit list. I can't speak to Europe's systems though. Perhaps they're even worse.

Workaccount2 2y ago
That sounds more like an urgent care than anything. I have probably seen 20 doctors in the last 2 years for ongoing health issues, and never once did I get two different doctors from a group practice. You would have to request that since when you make an appointment you make it for the doctor you want to see specifically. However urgent cares are pretty much exactly as you describe, so perhaps you are confusing group practice with urgent care? Hospitals are also kind of in the same vein as urgent cares too. If you have the means, I would highly suggest finding a good primary care doctor. Mine will sit with me for an hour if needed, no rushing, talks through everything. Search locally and you can check reviews online. Although the best ones are often not taking new patients, you have to shop around a bit.
- mindslight 2y ago
  No, I am summarizing my experience with several different primaries and around 8 specialist practices, much of it gained from advocating for several older family members. Yes, you can request your next appointment with the same doctor (modulo having to wait even longer). But that doesn't change the overall dynamic where they've been set up to give you mere slivers of time while outsourcing their working memory to janky computer systems. And while you can develop an ongoing relationship with one doctor, they can still leave suddenly because they've hit their individual breaking point from the practice's continual screw turning. I know there are some good doctors out there. For example our pediatrician has been great (after a bit of a bumpy start due to overall industry-wide CYA dynamics). But a few shining examples, if you can even manage to invest the effort and find them, don't really change the quality of the overall system. Especially when many situations basically require relying on the whole system.

Workaccount2 2y ago

That sounds more like an urgent care than anything. I have probably seen 20 doctors in the last 2 years for ongoing health issues, and never once did I get two different doctors from a group practice. You would have to request that since when you make an appointment you make it for the doctor you want to see specifically. However urgent cares are pretty much exactly as you describe, so perhaps you are confusing group practice with urgent care? Hospitals are also kind of in the same vein as urgent cares too. If you have the means, I would highly suggest finding a good primary care doctor. Mine will sit with me for an hour if needed, no rushing, talks through everything. Search locally and you can check reviews online. Although the best ones are often not taking new patients, you have to shop around a bit.

mindslight 2y ago
No, I am summarizing my experience with several different primaries and around 8 specialist practices, much of it gained from advocating for several older family members. Yes, you can request your next appointment with the same doctor (modulo having to wait even longer). But that doesn't change the overall dynamic where they've been set up to give you mere slivers of time while outsourcing their working memory to janky computer systems. And while you can develop an ongoing relationship with one doctor, they can still leave suddenly because they've hit their individual breaking point from the practice's continual screw turning. I know there are some good doctors out there. For example our pediatrician has been great (after a bit of a bumpy start due to overall industry-wide CYA dynamics). But a few shining examples, if you can even manage to invest the effort and find them, don't really change the quality of the overall system. Especially when many situations basically require relying on the whole system.