Thursday, December 18, 2008

Health Care System - Kaiser Permanente (Redwood City Doctor) Sucks!!

I am not going to talk about ever existing health care system problems which are faced by someone or the other. We all know the existing problem about not following open health care system in USA. Today I will scribe about the height of materialistic doctors who practice in USA pretending to treat PATIENTS.

Recently I had scheduled my annual medical check up visit with my primary physician (pp) (now former) Doctor named S******* G***** K*** MD at Kaiser Permanente Redwood City bay area.

In last two years I have visited this hospital twice and this was my first annual medical checkup with my PP.

My appointment was at 9:30 AM and I reached there at 9:28 AM, I was called inside at 9:37 AM and after initial checkup by the nurse I went to my PP's room at 9:41 AM. There comes my former doctor and as usual introduction and how are you doing stuff. She was unable to start her system, so she said i will jot down things on paper and will enter this data later. After few questions and doing some examination

She: Okay we are done. I have other appointment now. We can't talk about anything else now.

Me: Today I have appointment and I am supposed to discuss all the problems with you.

She: You were scheduled for 20 minutes. Each visit is 20 minutes and I have already spoken with you for that long.

Me: I was never told that this appointments are of 20 minutes. And you have not listened to all my problems and have not provided any solution.

She: No I can't do this I have other appointment. You can come at some other time.

Me: Oh c'mon you can't do like this.

She: Okay I will try to accommodate you sometime at 12:00 noon or in the afternoon.

Me: Look Doctor, as you have your work, I do have mine and I have to go to work as well( "mein vaella baitha hoon na :("). Today I have scheduled this appointment and I would like to get examined and diagnosed completely.

She: Okay give me a minute and let me check out whether my other patient is already in or not. I will come back in one minute.

She comes back in 3 minutes and with a shameless smile

She: oh that patient is not here yet now tell me about your problem.

Me: Good for me.

And then I discussed some other stuff with her. Before leaving i told her

Me: Next time onwards I won't be interested in answering questions like "how am i, what do I do etc." and won't be interested in knowing "how are you and so on". I am concerned about my health and that's why I schedule my appointment with you.

I didn't like my experience with Dr. K***i and that's why she is now my former doctor. She is not at all professional and highly materialistic. Oh give me a break, being a doctor you first responsibility is to look and take care of your existing patient and then start thinking about your next patient (who is not in yet). Earning more money is not an issue here but how you treat your patients and how you deal with them is shameful.

So I presume the system is like this --> more patients you serve in a day more money you will earn. Money drives the way they treat their patients. Further Doctor's like her cribs about medical practices in India/US. I like doctors in India, I have never heard in 23 years from any of my doctor that they are done and have to look at other patients.

Similarly my friend who have visited this hospital they got the same answer for 5 times

"I can't say what is wrong" --> How did they get MD's degree?
"Please take ibuprofen for this" --> for all problem solution is the same

Health Care System Sucks Big Time!!
Rating for Kaiser Permanente's Doctor K***i = 0 (negative also works for me)

Sigh!!!!

1 comment:

Shailesh said...

nice post.