[quote=CA renter]I’ve seen far too many friends and relatives get misdiagnosed here in the U.S. A few times, the correct diagnosis was far too late, and they died. I’ve also had to wait for hours just to see our PCP, and that was **with an appointment.** I’ve also seen the old, “the doctor can see you in two to three months,” when dealing with a serious issue.
sdr,
While our BEST hospitals and BEST doctors might indeed be some of the best in the world, the Average Joe does not generally have access to those doctors or hospitals. I’d venture to guess that the average HMO member in the U.S. deals with a healthcare sytem that is no better — and probably far worse — than a sociaized healthcare system in a developed part of the world (Germany, Austria, Sweden, etc.).
Again, we all have different values and perceptions based on our own experiences and knowledge, but many of us are not nearly so enchanted with our healthcare system, no matter how much the U.S. healthcare/pharma industries try to brainwash us into thinking we have the “best” care in the world. On average, we don’t, and the statistics prove it.[/quote]
I agree w/what you say CAR. I’ve waited months to see specialists on many different occasions. I’ve been misdiagnosed numerous times, while the doctors tried to peddle their drugs on me. Sometimes you have to be as educated as a doctor to combat them.
I’ll never forget one instance the doctors tried to tell me I had an ulcer and I kept telling them it wasn’t and ulcer and they kept pushing omeprazole. I refused. I finally told them to do an endoscopy to prove I had an ulcer, which they did. Then they said, “Oh, you don’t have an ulcer.”
So many people can’t afford health insurance and get the basic emergency care. If you are lucky enough, you can afford HMO insurance, which still isn’t cheap. You have to jump through hoops to get proper care, IMO. Waiting for appointments, referrals, etc. Kaiser was the worst. It is like a factory. Extremely frustrating.
In that respect, yes. It is similar to, say, Italy, as far was waiting to see a doctor. Except there, they’d probably try to figure out what’s wrong w/you BEFORE prescribing drugs.
