White Coat Syndrome And The Medical System - And Response (2)

  • Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Today I wish to share what I am feeling as a patient in our medical system. I am too old to put on airs at this point, and this is too pervasive of a problem for me to contain.

 

As I enter my AARP years, I am faced with so many medical encounters that evoke all kinds of uncomfortable feelings. I dread physician’s appointments riddled with government regulatory hypocrisy, waiting, being moved from room to room, blood draws, blood pressure tests, knocks on doors, and et al.

 

 

I know that dealing with medical hypocrisy is part of aging as frequency and need increases many fold over, but it will be more than a challenge for me.

 

A youthful me disregarded the AMA recommendations for medical visits. I had great insurance, and went for a physical about every two years or when I felt like it. That is why the actuary for youth is so low. In my youth I thought, “Why I waste half a day?” I went when I was sick or until I received letters guilting me into going.

 

I am also aware that “an ounce of prevention is indeed worth more than a pound of cure.” It is absolutely true, but I have white coat syndrome.

 

Entering a clinical environment full of bright white lab coats evokes a kind of panic.   All of a sudden I feel like a lab rat as the patient. No, I really do.

 

Needless to say, transitioning to AARP years has been a challenge for me due to so many needed medical encounters. I have let go, or fired many physicians because their staff dismissed my white coat syndrome with a simple get over it attitude. I wish it were that simple to just dismiss what I am genuinely feeling, it is real. Patients are human with many variables and flaws.

 

Then, something great happened. I was diagnosed with arthritis, and found a practice that actually respects my illogical feelings about white coat syndrome, and does not attempt to place their logic on my illogical feelings. Finally, a welcome mat that never disrespects my white coat fears, and I never cancel an appointment with them.

 

However, they are exception, not the rule.

 

As I am closer to 60 than 50, my medical needs have increased, which means more dreaded white coat visits coupled with a broken medical system. A visit to any white coat office is truly science meeting government hypocrisy stomping and kicking the white coats with their absurd and inept legislation that is simply uncalled for. Our government has created a medical system that is a circus due to their government intervention.

 

As I join the ranks of geriatric crowd, first and foremost, I must navigate a medical system accepting the aforementioned facts. It simply reduces my frustration with an understanding of the experience.

 

I also accept that our country produces that most talented physicians, nurses, all kinds OT, physical therapists, and the list goes on, and every day they don a ball and chain called government bureaucracy driving up medical and procedure cost in mega regulations that require a host of employees that do nothing but provide proof of compliance in records and reports.

 

The regulations change how physicians operate, and at times legislation kicks science to the sidelines to satisfy rules developed an inept host of politicians in congress and our state legislators that are voting on medical regulation with vast and adverse indirect impact on patients. The government has ruined medicine.

 

The medical community must monitor our inept elected officials through lobbyists to protect the practice of medicine, like business does. With one swoop of a pen, government has destroyed many sectors of business. As a result of adverse legislation, patients must experience a medical circus that has kicked science out the door without the benefit of science knowledge. That is scary.

 

The little guy called, the patient, must endure pure medical hypocrisy with government, insurance, and physicians struggling to practice pure science.

 

I cannot identify any system government operates or controls with efficiently. Diary, I believe there are no systems that thrive with more government intervention and regulations, just to be clear.

 

In closing, the AARP years are going to be an interesting and fun journey, as I join the ranks of the geriatric fed up with the medical circus.

 

April Eidson

 

* * *

 

Dear Ms Eidson,

I read your article with interest. I understand your feelings (or at least have some empathy for what you are experiencing). At 60 I have about seven doctors that I see regularly or on occasion. I am in the process of seeing three more now. I have been on blood pressure medicine since 1979. I have genetic health problems, diabetes, history of multiple spinal injuries, chronic pain, other orthopedic injuries, have had three cancers, two major surgeries, etc., etc., etc.

 

For about 30 years I was a white coat medical worker. Radiology with a lot of experience in surgery, ICU, ER, etc. I became disabled in 2005 and have been through the disability "system". Each day I saw the fear that patients carried in one form or another. It's not just disease, it's finances, work missed, family problems. The factors are endless and infinitely complex.

 

I spent about five hours just this week trying to unravel the mess called "Health Care". I finally broke down in tears the other day. I sincerely don't know how John Q Public navigates the system. When you work inside the system but also spend years as a frequent flyer patient, one would think that it gets easier.

 

Each office, test, therapy, drug, etc. begins the battle over...and over...and over. What is covered, what's my co-pay, what is in network?

 

I have had most every test and procedure that I ever performed on a patient or had knowledge of through my education and experience. You freely admit that you pretty much practiced avoidance when it came to medical matters in the past. Most people do. Now you are suffering the onslaught of "white coat" syndrome. That may mostly be due to the lack of experience and knowledge, or it could be more. I have seen patients pass out before a test was ever done. The mere thought of  needles, biopsy, surgery, anesthesia, scans, etc caused the fright or flight chemistry to prevail.

 

I was fortunate to find a primary care physician over 20 years ago who sits down with you, works with you in your treatment, gives you options, and helps you understand how modern medicine works. He has helped me navigate through the "system".

 

You may ask if all of my experience, personal knowledge, education, etc. helps me avoid fear or angst over the health care system and tests. No, it does not.

 

I can only say that I have been blessed to be connected with a great team of doctors and health care professionals that I can talk to, trust, and rely on for my health needs. In regards to the "Health Care System" as a whole, its most often repetition, mountains of forms and rules and traps and turns and............exhaustion. On occasion it is sheer terror when institutions take over and you are out of options. 

 

 I wish you the best.

Teddy Ladd
Ooltewah

 

* * *

 

Wow...April and Teddy have hit the nail right on the head. Our health care system has gone to the dogs over the past few years, but I have high hopes that doctors will soon be back in charge of our personal health care.  I have a Medicare Advantage policy that has done nothing but make me a combatant on a weekly basis.  They call daily, (robot calls) telling me I should do this or call them or whatever...I have stopped answering the phone.  They mail me "kits" so that I can be identified as a possible colon cancer patient...c'mon now...do you honestly think I'm going to take the advice of a clerk sitting at a desk a couple thousand miles away over that of a trained physician who has done a pretty darn good job taking care of my health issues?  It's as off the wall as listening to a workmen's comp nurse (again thousands of miles away) pretending she's got a doctor's cert hanging on her wall telling someone what they need to do as opposed to the doctor in charge of the injury. That dog doesn't hunt either.

No one is more concerned about the direction of health care than the doctors we see.  Their hands are tied. If you are at a slight risk for cholesterol problems and your doctor doesn't put you on a drug (which, BTW can cause more problems then we've got time to discuss) the government swoops down on the doctor and actually slaps their hands. If you're borderline on any test submitted to the insurance company and you're not instantly put on medication your doctor could lose certification with Medicare (thank you Obama and Dems for knowing what's best for America).

Bottom line is the government (as it sits today) is making it tougher on us old retired workers to survive because our money is tied up in medicines we don't need, programs that don't work and appointments we don't need simply to satisfy a health care system that is...how shall we say....following the almighty dollar as opposed to what our doctors want for us....good health with the least amount of drugs possible. 

It's definitely time for a change.

Sue White

Latest Headlines
Opinion
Democratic View On Top State Senate Issues - March 18, 2024
  • 3/18/2024

Campbell bill seeks to save lives by studying suicide trends in Tennessee 3 p.m. Senate Regular Calendar — SB 1787 , by Sen. Heidi Campbell, would require state health officials to produce ... more

The Odor Of Mendacity - And Response (2)
  • 3/16/2024

The Fulton County judge, Scott McAfee, overseeing the Fani Willis prosecution of Donald Trump and eighteen other defendants has spoken. In response to a motion by defendants to remove Willis ... more

Capitol Report From State Rep. Greg Vital For March 15
  • 3/15/2024

General Assembly confirms new Tennessee State Supreme Justice Members of the General Assembly confirmed the appointment of Mary L. Wagner to the Tennessee Supreme Court in a joint session ... more