Posted by Bekka H. on March 25, 2002, at 19:28:16
In reply to Hate drug?, posted by OldSchool on March 25, 2002, at 18:43:51
Hi there, Old School,
I agree with almost everything you've said. I have felt that way so many times and, believe me, it's NOT just your part of the country. I live in the snobby Northeast, and I think it's even worse here. I've been to many of the so-called "Best Doctors in New York," and except for a handful, I am usually tempted to say, "Well, if that's the best, I'd hate to see what the worst is like." And it's not just medicine. Very few people take pride in their work anymore. There is so much sloppiness. I can't tell you how much time I have to spend on the phone each week, trying to correct other people's careless mistakes. It happens in every area of my life, whether it's arguing with medical insurance companies, car mechanics, the dry cleaners or the morons who work the cash register at the grocery store. Does it really take a high I.Q. to know that you don't pack soup cans on top of tomatoes in the grocery bag?!!! It's just common sense, but there is no common sense. Maybe the checkout girl/boy is stupid, maybe they don't care, or maybe they are just downright hostile. Who knows? Yes, life is so frustrating and difficult!!
One of my biggest complaints has to do with the number of physicians in New York who refuse to participate in managed care. If you look at those "Best Doctors" guides for other parts of the country, most of "the best" doctors do participate in some insurance plan or another, but in New York, most of "the best" refuse to belong. My father used to say to me, "Getting sick is only for the very rich and the very poor," and he was right. I have met a few wonderful physicians who are also wonderful human beings, but most of the doctors I meet are arrogant, greedy yuppies who have forgotten what it means to be a doctor. Being a physician is a privilege and a huge responsibility. It is a privilege to be allowed into a stranger's (i.e., a patient's) life, but most doctors don't treat it as such.
I don't know what the answer is. I am as angry as you are, but I'm trying very hard not to let it get me down as much as I used to. I know that we can't change other people, but we can TRY to change ourselves and the way we react to others. Recently, I came across Gandhi's words, and now I have those words posted on my bulletin board: "Be the change you wish to see in the world."
poster:Bekka H.
thread:100102
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020322/msgs/100117.html