Getting an annual physical at the doctors

[Jstpssng]

Personally, I never thought it was that big of a deal. When I was single, I'd just ask a friend do the honors.

That's quite a request when the hospital is two hours away.
You must have some good friends.

 

[EddieWalker]

I knew before I left the hospital... actually, the doctor told me the results before the anesthesia had worn off.
...

They might of told my wife right away. She is in charge of all that, and I just do what she says. It's really nice being married to a Nurse. She knows things, and I don't have to know those things.

 

[ultrarunner]

Heck if the medical people weren't so stuck in a simplistic mindset they would arrange to transport a person to a local hotel afterwards for those not having a driver available and living a considerable distance from town. There are solutions but there is no desire for them to make any available.

I think a lot of it is the fact the medical establishment does not understand that they are a business with customers. They figure the customer needs them therefore they do not need to provide a good experience. They can keep you waiting hours but heaven forbid you do not show up 15 minutes before your appointment.

At one time we did provide door to door service at a all inclusive package price…

Patients liked it but changes to law require everything be itemized and then is the sub contracted transport driver an employee or independent plus laws like the Stark Law come into play.

Any licensed driver can take you home but more important is who is going to be with you?

Every week for certain plastic cases a licensed nurse takes the patient home and remains in the home or hotel for 24 hours

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

That's quite a request when the hospital is two hours away.
You must have some good friends.

Are we still talking about colonoscopies?
"I'd just ask a friend do the honors."

 

[masseyrider]

Not the worst thing to happen.
The flushing fluid helps you find things you may have swallowed as a kid. Loose change that kind of thing.
You sleep through the procedure. All I remember is being told to count back from a hundred. I think I started 98.
Sort of a run through for what death is like.
The fun part was all the farting.
They fill your intestines with air. In the recovery area (separated by curtains) everyone is passing wind. You can't leave till you're empty.
It doesn't smell because everyone is cleaned out.
Like a 6 year old, farts are still funny to me. Some people are mortified.
The disturbing thing was my recovery area was across the hallway from the room they do the procedure in.
Sitting there I saw a nurse come out with a trolly. She stopped to give the probe a wipe down.
Its about as thick as an English cuke and the body looks like a flexible desk lamp. I'm not sure how long.
That's when you know the extent to which you've been violated.

 

[ultrarunner]

Inflated with CO2 which as we know is a greenhouse gas

The body absorbs CO2 easier than air.

A scope costs about 40k give or take.

The processing is meticulous and the scope drying cabinet holds about a million dollars worth of scopes.

There is a sign in the GI procedure room stating “Caution Fart Zone”

Admin keeps having it removed but always reappears.

The GI room is about as close to neutral pressure as possible… being neither negative or positive pressure and every 6 minutes the entire volume of HEPA filtered outside air is exchanged.

The air flow is directed down from above over the field and drawn to the lower corners of the room to be exhausted and never to return…

Operating rooms are Sterile environments but GI by nature is not considered a Sterile environment.

 

[gsganzer]

On a good note, for anyone wanting to start a New Years resolution for dieting and losing weight, a colonoscopy is a great way to start with a clean slate.

 

[MattB4]

Personally, I never thought it was that big of a deal. When I was single, I'd just ask a friend do the honors.

When you live remote with few neighbors it becomes more of an issue. Some of us are not sociable.

 

[ultrarunner]

100% correct...

Had to send home a guy who walked 3 miles in the rain for his colonoscopy.

He lives alone in a SRO and no family and doesn't drive.

He has Alameda Alliance through the county and arrangements were made for a return visit and all went well.

The scheduling office has to inform but sometimes ignored or not understood or not properly explained...

5:30 am to 7am I'm stationed in the lobby to help arriving patients.

It can be stressful as even payment often a problem...

January everything resets and new deductibles, co-pays begin... already been issues where a patient would have saved a lot having both eyes done in the same year...

A big issue is being cashless... during Covid we stopped accepting cash... check, credit card, money order etc. OK

A few weeks back a senior patients was crying because she was dropped off with cash and her procedure rescheduled... which means cost more in 2024.

I broke the rules by putting her payment on my personal credit card in exchange for the cash...

To me the word Care is the most important in Healthcare and Patient Care.

Not everyone has available a support network...

We see grandma dropped at the curb at 5 am and grandmas with a dozen family members in tow.

Some patients arrive with their pastor or deacon which is not as common as before but still viable...

 

[ultrarunner]

^that could have been me. Fortunately, mom made it through the troubles. Retired RN. Daily Mass warrior. They were actually married in San Jose in 1955.

That would have been something if out moms had worked together or if yours arranged moms blind date.

 

[Torvy]

That would have been something if are moms had worked together or if yours arranged moms blind date.

Not sure when mine left the area. Could have happened. Sister was born in Napa in Sep, '59. Shortly after that dad was transferred to USAFA in C-Spgs.

My Aunt and her family stayed in the area (Fremont). Her and husband both passed years ago, but cousins and their kids all live in NorCal. Most of them are terminally infected with entitlement syndrome.

 

[bigtiller]

Things are different now-a-days, and for the better.

When I had my first colonoscopy I was wide awake and the only drugs they gave me was a muscle relaxant because I was fighting through the hemorrhoid pain.

 

[ultrarunner]

Things are different now-a-days, and for the better.

When I had my first colonoscopy I was wide awake and the only drugs they gave me was a muscle relaxant because I was fighting through the hemorrhoid pain.

I just checked and the typical scopes have usable length from 1m to 1.6m

Here is the Olympus Tower and one cabinet with scopes processed and ready for Monday morning…

 

[QRTRHRS]

When I had my first one, just before I went out I heard a knock on the door and someone said "mind if we observe". Then a number of people shuffled into the room. Students I guessed. My last thought was sure, send in everyone, why should I care? LOL!

I am now good for five years but the previous check was two years and before that either one year or six months, I forget which. That was because I had a number of polyps removed.

I find that during the prep, using the PreperationH hemorrhoidal wipes helps me minimize irritation.

 

[gsganzer]

I hate to sound this cynical, but I've really become disenfranchised by today's healthcare groups. They're obviously "for profit" entities and many providers get incentives to create more visits, push referrals to a specialist and maximize billing. All of this is done with virtually no re-course by the patient.

So how do you hold the gastro specialist to be honest and not push for an increased procedure interval? (2 years instead of 5 or 10?)

I'm not just disenfranchised by healthcare, I see the same stuff happening with automotive repair/maintenance and many other services. However, I think with healthcare you're at an even larger disadvantage as a consumer.

 

[ultrarunner]

When I had my first one, just before I went out I heard a knock on the door and someone said "mind if we observe". Then a number of people shuffled into the room. Students I guessed. My last thought was sure, send in everyone, why should I care? LOL!

That would never happen here…

First staff restricted to those required.

Second any requests for students or observers would be disclosed at the time of registration for patient approval.

Third any observers would need to be cleared meaning vaccinations up to date, etc.

 

[MossRoad]

That would never happen here…

First staff restricted to those required.

Second any requests for students or observers would be disclosed at the time of registration for patient approval.

Third any observers would need to be cleared meaning vaccinations up to date, etc.

I've had it happen more than a few times at Dr visits. They always ask if I'd mind if they had a student/students in the room.

And when I crushed my finger, man, that draws a crowd....
All of my crushed finger Dr. visits.
My crushed finger surgery.
All of my crushed finger follow ups.
Apparently everyone likes a good crushed finger, I guess.

I don't mind letting folks learn. Might help someone else in the future.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yes to students but never as you are getting knock out bring asked if ok to watch…

Everything is based on need to know or needed to provide care…

I’ve not once been in GI during a case… at one time I did patient care certified for the Lensx laser and if I come into a room now during surgery it’s only because of a problem…

 

[bigtiller]

I just checked and the typical scopes have usable length from 1m to 1.6m

Here is the Olympus Tower and one cabinet with scopes processed and ready for Monday morning…
View attachment 842929

Hmm, they seamed longer at the time.

 

[masseyrider]

Hmm, they seamed longer at the time.

From what I saw the nurse wiping down those pictured are much thinner and shorter.