Coronavirus Outbreak

[Soloist]

Last three appointments I did with a medically fragile patient had no masking requirements. Cancer makes sense to keep.

[Sliceitup]

Wow, good old Oregon beating PA and FL back to the old normal? I figured everywhere else dropped the requirement long ago.

I don’t think it’s required in PA, but certain medical systems (Wellspan) still require it.

[RZehr]

Wow, good old Oregon beating PA and FL back to the old normal? I figured everywhere else dropped the requirement long ago.

I don’t think it’s required in PA, but certain medical systems (Wellspan) still require it.

I see. Oregon it was a state requirement for the medical personnel and the public to mask in these facilities. Wasn’t left as optional.

[Ken]

Wow, good old Oregon beating PA and FL back to the old normal? I figured everywhere else dropped the requirement long ago.

I don’t think it’s required in PA, but certain medical systems (Wellspan) still require it.

I see. Oregon it was a state requirement for the medical personnel and the public to mask in these facilities. Wasn’t left as optional.

I don't know about OR. My wife actually works in WA but for a provider chain based in OR. So maybe they were just following OR rules anyway, or maybe the two states coordinated. I don't know. But she told me they dropped the mask requirement last week.

She's also ready to be done with telemedicine which was the last big pandemic change. Hates it.

[RZehr]

I don’t think it’s required in PA, but certain medical systems (Wellspan) still require it.

I see. Oregon it was a state requirement for the medical personnel and the public to mask in these facilities. Wasn’t left as optional.

I don't know about OR. My wife actually works in WA but for a provider chain based in OR. So maybe they were just following OR rules anyway, or maybe the two states coordinated. I don't know. But she told me they dropped the mask requirement last week.

She's also ready to be done with telemedicine which was the last big pandemic change. Hates it.

I was told that this past Monday was the first day without masks. Earlier, I heard talk that Oregon was requiring them until May. They must have decided April was good enough.

Yesterday at a lunch some fund manager was extolling the virtues of investing in about ten or so things. Tele-doc was one of them. He thought that was the bees knees.

[Josh]

Telemedicine is here to stay. More $$$ for big hospital systems and other large practice employers. And it makes it even easier for them to replace your visit with an MD with an NP or a PA (and send you a bill for the same amount).

The last time we went into a specialist and ended up seeing a PA, she asked at the end if we wanted to see the doctor or not. I said, no, unless we’ll be paying the same price either way. She was not amused and we then saw the MD.

[RZehr]

What is a NP and PA?

[Josh]

What is a NP and PA?

Nurse Practitioner is a nurse with a master’s degree who can do a lot of doctor things like prescribe medicine.

Physician’s Assistant is a bachelor’s degree plus a few years of professional school that can do some doctor things in specific fields.

I’m not saying they aren’t competent, but I question why the bill is the same when I’m seeing someone who gets paid a lot less than an MD.

[Ken]

Telemedicine is here to stay. More $$$ for big hospital systems and other large practice employers. And it makes it even easier for them to replace your visit with an MD with an NP or a PA (and send you a bill for the same amount).

The last time we went into a specialist and ended up seeing a PA, she asked at the end if we wanted to see the doctor or not. I said, no, unless we’ll be paying the same price either way. She was not amused and we then saw the MD.

My wife hates it because half the patients don't take it seriously. She is constantly on the phone with patients who are in their cars, at the checkout line at the grocery, tending 3 screaming kids, etc. They treat it like they are talking with the cable company or something. If they can't be bothered to block out 15 min of uninterrupted time to talk to a very busy doctor to even get through a basic interview, how do they expect someone to diagnose what ails them and draft a care plan?

Couple of days ago she told me she did a video visit with a patient who was at the checkout line at the grocery with a couple of kids who were grabbing candy, grabbing at her phone, and begging her for stuff right in the middle of the visit. Total waste of everyone's time. At least when they show up at the clinic in person she can get their uninterrupted attention and they can get something accomplished.

[Josh]

If they’re on Medicaid, why should they care? They aren’t paying for it and they don’t have to pay missed appointment fees either.

Of course, whenever I go to a doctor’s office I often have my time wasted for an hour or more - even if it’s the first appointment of the day. Perhaps some patients are simply returning the same disrespect they’ve been shown.