Posted by garnet71 on May 30, 2009, at 2:22:57
In reply to Re: New PDoc - question, posted by Neal on May 30, 2009, at 1:15:26
Well, I couldn't stop researching this topic once I got on it..lol. I found out my state is the #1 worse state for physican malpractice insurance-rates, dropped coverages, etc. It's been that way since about 2000, and is considered a crisis here.
And one of the research articles I read surveyed hundreds of specialists---close to 90% had been sued in their career--and about 50% just within the last 3 years.
Being in the worst state for insurance coverage for physicians, its very likely my speculations could be correct in regard to my treatment. If a doctor here is sued, they get dropped from their insurance and are forced to take minimal coverage. I am pretty convinced that's why they are only willing to work with the so-called "safe" xxRIs, and refuse any presumably addictive drugs, among other things.
I'm sort of upset about this. If it's been a "crisis" for so long, why haven't policymakers done anything about it?
There are also articles that have researched patient satisfaction with the doctors here--our treatment is adversely affected.
What I've found tonight pretty much explains everything. It's pretty sad people have to suffer for years because of malpractice insurance. I wonder how many other people have been shortchanged on their lives because of this?
I want to talk to my doctors about this, and get some more information about it and personal stories. I'm doing some research for some classes on health policies this semester, since I get to pick my topics and all, thinking I might want to switch to that area for a career. I wasn't looking into this issue, but I might decide to do an independent study next semester about this. I might as well, i've spent hours looking into this instead of doing my homework--I didn't even notice the time. Plus I usually have really good rapport with doctors, and maybe could bring their situations into my research, to add to an an interesting angle to an argument in formulating some policy recommendations. Well, I don't know, I probably couldn't help being biased. lol
But yeah, Neal, I'll be sure to bring my script bottles then. My scripts are still sitting at the pharmacy; ironically, my anxiety disappeared over the past couple days and I don't even need a xanax. That's why I'm so reluctant to move on to another remedy too. Anxiety comes and goes, sometimes leaves for weeks, months--so taking a med with daily adverse affects is a tough trade off.
poster:garnet71
thread:898349
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090524/msgs/898423.html