By Eric W. Schoen
Several readers wrote to me about my column last week regarding my 4 months in various hospitals.
Their question: how did you survive? It wasn’t easy. If anyone tells you the hospital is for profit hospital, leave. For profit hospitals are like the difference between Kelloggs Raisin Bran and generic raisin bran. It’s all about the money!
The dumbest move hospitals have made in the last 10 years is to the hospitalist form of care. Your personal doctor doesn’t care for you, everyday, you have a different doctor who has to spend time learning your health history before caring for you. The goal is to have doctors treat patients with more time in the office so they don’t have to go to the hospital. Don’t buy it.
You can see any doctor you want either inside or outside the hospital. Doctors will usually make payment plans if they don’t take your insurance. Always ask if they take tour your insurance or if you can make payment arrangements.
Many hospitals have free or low lost transportation to and from the hospital or office. If the doctor requires outside testing make sure you see a company in your plan.
Advocates in the various hospitals will help you navigate the system. These are paid employees who help you understand the system. Always bring a family member along for a second pair of ears to all appointments.
The system. Run it on your terms and nobody else’s!
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Reach Ewschoen@icloud.com
