did I make a mistake?

[Aether2000]

Agree Disciple, but remember, the vast majority of opioids are prescribed by primary care physicians in the US. However the opioid issues are but a small sliver of the problems that beset the profession. The principle and overriding issue is due to doctors that have long ago forgotten the fundamental precepts of medicine by adopting a modus operandi based solely on avarice, eschew the reasons we initially went into medicine by placing the business of acquiring wealth above that of the medical needs of patients, and have discovered no depth to which they would not descend in abrogation of ethical treatment of those that suffer. Of course physicians need to make a reasonable and fair income level, but when standards of care are routinely ignored for the sake of massive incomes derived by some physicians then there may be something wrong with that facet of the profession.

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[H2H]

Move this to the private forum?

 

[Ducttape]

i have a patient who had procedures done in 2008 in Nevada. he kept the bills. he had 3 level bilat TF injections x3 every 3 weeks, then bilat facet joint injections x3, again x3 every 3 weeks. the total bill for the 3 months that he went to that pain clinic was $19,000.

it probably would have taken him longer to lose that much on the strip. at least, on the strip, he could have walked away from the table...

 

[lonelobo]

How about the $3000 bill for one LESI done at Hospitals to pay for their bloated ,inefficient staffs and overhead?

 

[emd123]

Agree Disciple, but remember, the vast majority of opioids are prescribed by primary care physicians in the US. However the opioid issues are but a small sliver of the problems that beset the profession. The principle and overriding issue is due to doctors that have long ago forgotten the fundamental precepts of medicine by adopting a modus operandi based solely on avarice, eschew the reasons we initially went into medicine by placing the business of acquiring wealth above that of the medical needs of patients, and have discovered no depth to which they would not descend in abrogation of ethical treatment of those that suffer. Of course physicians need to make a reasonable and fair income level, but when standards of care are routinely ignored for the sake of massive incomes derived by some physicians then there may be something wrong with that facet of the profession.

True. But the profiteering by the hospitals and insurance companies, which vastly overreaches that of physicians, is not only tolerated but rewarded by the government elected by those same suffering patients you describe. Much bigger and hungrier wolves are guarding and feeding off that henhouse, unchecked.

 

[deleted682700]

Patients and fast paced western society also needs to have introspection. There is no sick leave. People have to work and work and when they are in pain they want a quick fix. The doctors comply. May be the honest ones will tell them that and probably the pain will resolve naturally with time.

 

[Doctodd]

With denials of ESI's on the medicare horizon, id say doom and gloom is not an exaggeration. The govt asks for public comments, and then discards the comments from ISIS and other expert pain societies.

 

[Stim4me]

As a private practice pain specialists I am making 30-40% less than I was in 2008-9, my best year.
This is due to commercial plan cut backs, ie BCBS, and medicare cuts. These two major healthcare players are integrated.
Hospitals may make more per medicare procedure, but this revenue is going to administrators first, with very few of my colleagues getting raises.
Most hospital CEO's are making 1-3 mm per year in my state.... which is nuts.

The grass is always greener, depending on who you take advice from.
Me personally, I did great for 10 years as a solo practitioner which paid off for me. I wish the newer pain MD's could do this, but with the push for
affordability and reform, it will be struggle to get patients (due to high deductibles, and tight referral networks).....

To supplement my lost revenues, my practice has ownership in surgical center, which helps. The goal here is to buy shares low, and sell high when the
local hospital/ACO buy up all the surgical centers in the next 5 years, assuming nothing changes. We are all stuck in the same boat, unless the ACA is changed...

 

[emd123]

As a private practice pain specialists I am making 30-40% less than I was in 2008-9, my best year.
This is due to commercial plan cut backs, ie BCBS, and medicare cuts. These two major healthcare players are integrated.
Hospitals may make more per medicare procedure, but this revenue is going to administrators first, with very few of my colleagues getting raises.
Most hospital CEO's are making 1-3 mm per year in my state.... which is nuts.

The grass is always greener, depending on who you take advice from.
Me personally, I did great for 10 years as a solo practitioner which paid off for me. I wish the newer pain MD's could do this, but with the push for
affordability and reform, it will be struggle to get patients (due to high deductibles, and tight referral networks).....

To supplement my lost revenues, my practice has ownership in surgical center, which helps. The goal here is to buy shares low, and sell high when the
local hospital/ACO buy up all the surgical centers in the next 5 years, assuming nothing changes. We are all stuck in the same boat, unless the ACA is changed...

Stim4U is back!!!!!!!!!!! As stim4me

 

[SSdoc33]

Stim4U is back!!!!!!!!!!! As stim4me

i hope so. his posts are informative

 

[Disciple]

Stim4U is back!!!!!!!!!!! As stim4me

Steve's BFF returns!

 

[emd123]

Steve's BFF returns!

 

[Stim4me]

That's too funny....

 

[emd123]

REMATCH! REMATCH! REMATCH! REMATCH!