Home Menu

Menu


Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #76  
Old Apr 11, 2015, 02:04 PM
AncientMelody AncientMelody is offline
Grand Member
 
Member Since: Sep 2014
Location: Michigan
Posts: 901
Quote:
Originally Posted by hvert View Post
Yes, this is it. The game has changed so much from the last time I used medical services. There are no more MDs with their own practice, just 'health care teams' working out of hospitals and clinics.
Not true. Privately owned clinics are rare for sure but they still are out there. I am employed by such a doctor.
Thanks for this!
Angelique67

advertisement
  #77  
Old Apr 17, 2015, 12:42 AM
coyotee's Avatar
coyotee coyotee is offline
Member
 
Member Since: Jan 2015
Location: United States
Posts: 152
I had one really great NP, young, smart, went above and beyond to help me, very considerate, and her diagnosis and prescriptions and referrals and advice helped me a lot.

She moved away. My new NP is just so much different. Young too. Her treatments are not helping me. Seems so generalized, not taking me into account with prescriptions and referrals. Very disappointed and ready to find a new provider.

Just night and day. There are some really great NPs and some not so great.
Thanks for this!
Angelique67, Rose76
  #78  
Old Apr 28, 2015, 12:12 PM
AncientMelody AncientMelody is offline
Grand Member
 
Member Since: Sep 2014
Location: Michigan
Posts: 901
Quote:
Originally Posted by hvert View Post
You know, I had another thought about this. The facilities that force their patients to see NPs rather than doctors might not have the best hiring practices. Since cost control seems more important to them than properly treating patients, maybe they apply that same mindset to hiring - maybe they go with cheap, improperly trained NPs?
well a lower cost doesn't equate with "improperly trained".
I don't know of any offices that "force" a patient to see an NP, sometimes it may take longer to wait and see a physician though. Certainly if there is a degree of force or manipulation involved that is very unethical.
  #79  
Old Apr 29, 2015, 03:07 PM
Perna's Avatar
Perna Perna is offline
Pandita-in-training
 
Member Since: Sep 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 27,289
How NP's operate in the US is based on state laws/practices:

Where Can Nurse Practitioners Work Without Physician Supervision? - Nursing@Simmons

For example, unless hvert is in Connecticut; New England's NPs can operated as-if they were doctors whereas you in Michigan, AncientMelody, have very restricted policies (so patients always end up seeing a doctor) and me in Maryland, with the NPs having reduced scope and where they have to have a physician's oversight so usually only work in a clinic or office with a specific doctor. So, can be hard to really compare how they work between states.
__________________
"Never give a sword to a man who can't dance." ~Confucius
Thanks for this!
Angelique67, eeyorestail, Rose76
  #80  
Old Apr 29, 2015, 03:42 PM
hvert's Avatar
hvert hvert is offline
Grand Magnate
 
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: US
Posts: 4,889
Yes, the problem where I am is that when you are trying to find a primary care provider, there are very few doctors accepting patients. Patients are forced to choose an NP as a PCP because there is no alternative.
Thanks for this!
Angelique67, Rose76
  #81  
Old Apr 29, 2015, 04:06 PM
Angelique67's Avatar
Angelique67 Angelique67 is offline
Legendary Wise Elder
 
Member Since: Oct 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 22,125
Quote:
Originally Posted by hvert View Post
Yes, the problem where I am is that when you are trying to find a primary care provider, there are very few doctors accepting patients. Patients are forced to choose an NP as a PCP because there is no alternative.
Yes, exactly the same situation here.
Hugs from:
hvert
  #82  
Old Apr 30, 2015, 04:36 AM
Perna's Avatar
Perna Perna is offline
Pandita-in-training
 
Member Since: Sep 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 27,289
I have a doctor as a PCP and he does not use any NPs. I've seen him for 8 or so years and it's my impression PCP's don't really do much other than maintenance meds for chronic stuff? I definitely would use a psychiatrist for psychiatric meds but once I have gotten in a rhythm of what I need to take and see him for my 10 minutes every 3 month, have my lab testing done once or twice a year, etc. I can't see that it makes a difference to me other than that I have gotten to know him a bit over time so we have now gotten to a pretty good working arrangement. He's sometimes hurried and messes up but I have the same pharmacist too and can straighten things out.

I think medicine is much different than it use to be, not necessarily better or worse just that all PCP's really have now are meds you can try and they help or they do not? In 8 years, my PCP has not really touched me other than to check my lungs, heart, and carotid arteries in my neck. They don't look down one's throat or shine lights into one's ears, etc. I don't often have other complaints but at first I was surprised and disturbed when my husband would say he had complained about something and had taken a shower that morning thinking the doctor would examine him when all he did was throw a packet of trial pills his way and tell him to take them and see if they helped? But thinking about it, the doctor knows all the meds one is on and whether they'll interact or not and what is the likely cause of the complaint but not necessarily how one will react to a particular med so one has to "try" it to see. I now see it is just a faster way of getting to the bottom line where they prescribe something. Yes, last appointment I complained about numbness in my finger tips and he asked perceptive questions and made sure it was not something immediately worrisome and now we're "watching" until next time. Sometimes that is all that can be "done"?

For me, what happens at a clinic/"doc-in-a-box" ("Patient First" and other franchises like that for when your doctor is not available but it's not an ER situation) and the ER, they don't have my history so seem to take more care when they're actually just going over routine stuff. A lot of that my PCP doesn't need to do. Yes I get weight and blood pressure, but even there, I have a problem with blood pressure cuffs so I take my own at home daily for a week or two before my appointment and bring that in and that gets put in my file. It seems most of these sorts of things, an NP could do.
__________________
"Never give a sword to a man who can't dance." ~Confucius
  #83  
Old Apr 30, 2015, 07:16 AM
eeyorestail's Avatar
eeyorestail eeyorestail is offline
Veteran Member
Chat Leader
 
Member Since: Apr 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 565
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perna View Post
I have a doctor as a PCP and he does not use any NPs. I've seen him for 8 or so years and it's my impression PCP's don't really do much other than maintenance meds for chronic stuff? I definitely would use a psychiatrist for psychiatric meds but once I have gotten in a rhythm of what I need to take and see him for my 10 minutes every 3 month, have my lab testing done once or twice a year, etc. I can't see that it makes a difference to me other than that I have gotten to know him a bit over time so we have now gotten to a pretty good working arrangement. He's sometimes hurried and messes up but I have the same pharmacist too and can straighten things out.

I think medicine is much different than it use to be, not necessarily better or worse just that all PCP's really have now are meds you can try and they help or they do not? In 8 years, my PCP has not really touched me other than to check my lungs, heart, and carotid arteries in my neck. They don't look down one's throat or shine lights into one's ears, etc. I don't often have other complaints but at first I was surprised and disturbed when my husband would say he had complained about something and had taken a shower that morning thinking the doctor would examine him when all he did was throw a packet of trial pills his way and tell him to take them and see if they helped? But thinking about it, the doctor knows all the meds one is on and whether they'll interact or not and what is the likely cause of the complaint but not necessarily how one will react to a particular med so one has to "try" it to see. I now see it is just a faster way of getting to the bottom line where they prescribe something. Yes, last appointment I complained about numbness in my finger tips and he asked perceptive questions and made sure it was not something immediately worrisome and now we're "watching" until next time. Sometimes that is all that can be "done"?

For me, what happens at a clinic/"doc-in-a-box" ("Patient First" and other franchises like that for when your doctor is not available but it's not an ER situation) and the ER, they don't have my history so seem to take more care when they're actually just going over routine stuff. A lot of that my PCP doesn't need to do. Yes I get weight and blood pressure, but even there, I have a problem with blood pressure cuffs so I take my own at home daily for a week or two before my appointment and bring that in and that gets put in my file. It seems most of these sorts of things, an NP could do.
What you say makes sense, I think, in a lot of cases. Maybe the majority of cases. But the thing is that a PCP acts as a gatekeeper to other care, particularly if you have an HMO. It's true that if you have some common illness that just needs an antibiotic or something an NP is up for the job. But is it possible that an NP might be more likely to mistake something more serious for the common illness because that's what they are expecting to see? (And because it's what they can handle themselves?) For example, a person who goes in with stomach issues may be told that it's acid reflux because that's most common and is what the NP can prescribe for (and also is probably what the patient expects to hear) that turns out to be something more serious that a specialist needs to see. Especially in the case of someone with an HMO, the PCP can shut (or open) doors to specialized care.

Now of course MDs can make the same type of mistakes as a gatekeeper that NPs can. I guess what I'm trying to say is that with an MD it might be less likely.

My sister saw an NP at her PCP's for a possible heart issue. The NP wrote her a prescription for heart medication and said, ok, you'll just have to take this for the rest of your life. My sister, not wanting to be on a powerful med for the rest of her life, asked for a referral to a cardiologist. The NP reluctantly gave her one. The cardiologist tells her nothing is wrong and there's no way she should have been on that med. If she hadn't pressed the issue and asked for a higher level of care, she would be popping those unnecessary pills until the day she dies.
__________________
Join me for the weekly Psych Central Depression Support Chat!
Thursdays 9 PM Eastern
Depression Support Chat Topics Thread

Thanks for this!
Rose76
  #84  
Old May 18, 2015, 09:07 AM
keleeemo keleeemo is offline
New Member
 
Member Since: Dec 2012
Posts: 2
Quote:
Originally Posted by hvert View Post
I just got health insurance for the first time in a long time. I am trying to find a primary care provider, but it's kind of confusing. It seems that most MDs aren't accepting new patients, but nurse practitioners are.

I'm not really sure what a nurse practitioner is vs. a doctor. Should I have a physical with a FNP or would I be better off looking at a different office for an MD?
I would always go with an office with a doctor over a nurse practitioner. I went in and couldn't get in with the doctor so I saw the nurse practitioner. She dropped the ball and never ordered my chest x-ray or seemed worried about my coughing up blood. When it got worse I made an appointment with my doctor who had chest x-rays done that day and found lung cancer. I lost precious time I could have been in chemo and radiation by seeing the nurse. For important things always see the doctor. For a head cold the nurse practitioner would be fine.
Hugs from:
Rose76
Thanks for this!
Angelique67, Rose76
Reply
Views: 13561

attentionThis is an old thread. You probably should not post your reply to it, as the original poster is unlikely to see it.




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:36 PM.
Powered by vBulletin® — Copyright © 2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.




 

My Support Forums

My Support Forums is the online community that was originally begun as the Psych Central Forums in 2001. It now runs as an independent self-help support group community for mental health, personality, and psychological issues and is overseen by a group of dedicated, caring volunteers from around the world.

 

Helplines and Lifelines

The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.

Always consult your doctor or mental health professional before trying anything you read here.