Keeping the Patient Key
I think I’ve found what has been bothering me the most about the ongoing health care discussion — and it’s neatly summed up at the end of this article. Even shorter. In two words: Patient-centric.
The article consists of an interview with a nurse practitioner. I’ve received excellent service from nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants over the last however many years. My recent experience has been with nurse practitioners, and the interview above showcases excellent information about this vital field.
My experience with nurse practitioners (NPs) has solely revolved around womens’ health, and I’ve only known female NPs. Since nurses come in both genders, it should be no surprise that the same is true for NPs. I see an internist (male) as my primary care physician. He has an NP in his office who handles annual exams (PAP smears, etc). This particular NP happens to be female. I’m happy with that. I know men can be very capable with women’s problems, but I have generally felt more comfortable with women performing “that” exam. Not that I particularly care to have just anyone rooting around “down there.” But some things are necessary, you know?
I had an ongoing issue from before I retired that I needed to get resolved, so this NP referred me to the GYN doc. She verified what the problem was and presented several possible courses of action she thought would best resolve the matter, and I chose what I thought would be most effective, least invasive, and reversible if it didn’t work. When I went in for the appointment to execute that decision on Friday, I encountered yet another NP. This one performed the procedure flawlessly, and I’m initially very pleased. Time will tell if it’s effective, be we have every reason to believe it will be.
The key for me, and for the NP in the article referenced above is my medical team (and I’ve come to think of them as a team — they work that well together) is all about what is best for ME as a patient and a human being. I pay my $12 co-pay, and I get what I need. At least, that’s what it’s been so far. Not everyone is so fortunate as I am.
As a military retiree, I am using a government plan, but I don’t sense what Congress is talking about is going to be anywhere near equivalent to what I have. It sounds, as the article states, like a poorly funded version of what we have now that won’t address how to maximize the personnel we have to provide what’s most appropriate for the patient. Instead, we’re hearing about end of life counseling, which sounds scarily like a geriatric holocaust. Young people may think that’s no big deal, but the older they become, the more wrong they’ll see that to be. (See movie: “Soylent Green” and pay attention to Edward G. Robinson’s character.) And, will I lose what I have?
The the single greatest concern of people who have appropriate health care appears to be “will I lose what I have.” The President keeps insisting that won’t happen, but I can’t see how it won’t. And wording in most of the versions out for review seems to support that there’s no way people who are happy with the system they have will be able to keep it. It’s another least common denominator situation with us taking a collective step backwards so we all have it equally bad. That’s not acceptable for a country that purports to be the world leader we, at least through January 19, 2009, claim to be. There MUST be a better way, and Congress must not pass a bad bill just to pass a bill.
I believe that few employers will continue to pay for health benefits at the level they now do when a ‘cheap, affordable’ government sponsored plan is available – it’s just a number-crunching/accounting issue to a lot of businesses – and while the gov’t says their plan won’t affect current insurance options, they’re apparently not realizing that alot of the bottom-dollar accountants in many, many corporations will opt to stop paying the massive amounts a month to Blue Cross Blue Shield or whoever when they can give employees a ‘small bonus’ to self insure w/ the gov’t.
Also, I fear that the government sponsored plan will be, essentially, Medicaid in a fancy new dress. Not much is covered, the payments to physicians for covered procedures are highly cost-restricted and slow, AND the waiting times may be quite lengthy just to see someone.
I just don’t think there’s a lot we can do to stop it.
I talked with a neonatal nurse the other day about the health care debate and she said that one thing no one seems willing to talk about is the MASSIVE amount of money being spent on lifesaving procedures for people with no hope, like infants born without vital organs and brain-dead patients. Folks that are kept alive solely by extreme medical procedures and technology. I’m not sure how I feel about all of that, actually. I can totally understand how someone would want to keep their precious family member alive by any and all means possible, but I don’t know if it’s a governmental issue or a private one. On the one hand I can see how if they’re never gonna get better, ever (like babies born without brains or livers) why spend hundreds of thousands of dollars prolonging the inevitable? But, on the other hand, there’s family and love and how can you just do nothing?
I don’t know, and I don’t have all the answers. I just worry that our government will decide what’s best for us whether we like it or not. And it’ll be awful.
Happy birthday, Jean!!!!!
Actually, I don’t really understand how a family would want to keep someone with no hope of every surviving off life support on that life support. I CAN understand the guilt they may feel for being responsible for pulling the plug.
I’ve been fortunate to be in a family that doesn’t believe in taking “heroic” measures to prolong life for the sake of prolonging life. We just don’t have a “life at all costs” mentality. It could stem from a Christian faith that there’s a better life after — in whatever form it may be.
Sadly, I don’t think it will be much easier for the people who can’t bring themselves to pull the plug to have the government do it for them. I suspect they’ll be angry. Of course, for those who just don’t want to be “blamed” for the decision, they may be comforted by passing the buck — “The government made me do it.” It seems like an extreme form of “The dog ate my homework.” and other indicators of an inability to accept responsibility for one’s actions or lack thereof.
Thanks, EJ! (And you didn’t even get shuttled to moderation — Yay!)
Happy Birthday!!! Woot!!
Doing anything fun?