Patients May Have to be Assertive to get Good Medical care

An appliance repair man came to my house the other day to fix a problem with my washing machine. The man was coughing  a lot and clearing his throat. I asked him if he had had the flu bug and he said that he just seemed to have an on-going cough and a lot of mucus. I asked him about his medical care which he said was at an HMO. When I asked him about the date of his last chest X-ray, he couldn't remember a recent one. In asking what doctors he had seen, I found out that his G.P. or internist had not ordered, a chest X-ray, sinus X-rays, an ENT consult, or an allergy work-up. 

I made a list of the tests he should have and said he might have to be quite assertive to get them done.  He didn't realize that HMOs prefer not to order tests or X-rays because it costs them extra money. They want to care for just very healthy patients. I told the man of a friend who coughed a lot but refused to ask for a chest X-ray. He said he was Irish and indestructible. Sadly, he was dead from lung cancer six months later.

As I tell medical students, a chest X-ray can save an adult or child's life. I have seen this to be true several times. It is a very important test, particularly  during the flu season. A doctor may not hear anything when he or she listens ta patient's chest. Pneumonia can be very silent or so-called walking pneumonia. So if you are not getting better and coughing or feeling ill, I would insist on a chest X-ray

Comments

[SimonJs]

I was researching about flu when I stumbled upon this article. Being that I have a flu, that doesn't seem to end, I will have to insist on a chest X-ray!

Thanks for this piece!