Why does it seem that the doctor only wants to deal with ONE problem? For instance if you go in with a sinus

Question

If you go in for a sinus infection they get real irritated when you ask if they will look at a second problem with your toe or something.

Answer 1

I sincerely doubt that it has anything to do with scheduling, with due respect. It has to do with money only. Even if you were to call ahead and schedule an appointment for a sinus infection and a sore ankle, they'd say no, and that you must schedule two seperate appointments. This is said with an "in general" attitude. Also, I'm not SURE, but I'd be willing to bet a hefty penny on it.

Two visits equals two doctor bills, therefore more money for them! There are usually signs in the office that say "one issue per visit, please", because they charge by the visit. I agree with you, though. It's not right. I think that it should actually be encouraged to discuss everything you're feeling, because you never know, a sore ankle and a sinus infection may be related! You don't know that. But the doctor might. He(or she) just feels like he's getting ripped off if you cram two issues into one visit, because he just lost out on another visit, and another bill he could have sent you. But you're the one getting ripped off. $50 freakin' dollars for one visit? He just looked at your throat and wrote a prescription for antibiotics? Any homeless guy can do that! Screw the AMA, screw doctors. They are the ones ripping you off. If I were you, I'd find another doctor. But that's just me, and I get angry at that sort of thing. VOTE LIBERTARIAN!

Answer 2

When you call and make the appointment you need to tell them everything you want the doctor to look at so they know how much time to schedule you with the doctor, A doctor is trying to see the most amount of patients in a certain amount of time and make rounds at a hospital. So when you only tell them about 1 problem but actually have 3 and then you want the doctor to take care of all 3, this will take longer then the 15 minutes they have scheduled for the 1 problem and puts them behind with other patients and hospital rounds.

Answer 3

I know what you mean but it really just depends on the doctor,I have a child and my first obstetrician was a real prick,I was going to a group of five doctors and they were all the same,they were in and out so fast I barely noticed they had come,my appts were literally no joke 5 minutes and if I would call and ask the nurse a question or have a concern they would get irritated,luckily about 5 months into my pregnancy I found another doctor,a stand alone one who was much older but truly a professional,my doctors appointments were 10-15 minutes long and I got to lay all my questions and concerns out on the table.So really it just depends on the doctor,I think older patient oriented doctors are better.

Answer 4

If you suffer from two or more different illnesses, best is to tell them in one go. This helps a doctor to formulate a picture of your illness in totality and maybe these other illnesses are correlated. It will help a doctor if he knows in advance all your illnesses as prescription and advice can be comprehensive. Telling a doctor later about a problem which may be linked to the basic or first problem, or maybe not, will always make a doctor reassess the disease separately and will probably have to amend the prescription, which could possibly have been avoided had you come out with all your ailments at one go. Have faith in your doctor and provide your assistance in getting best comprehensive advise for all your ailments at one go, rather than coming out in piece meal.

Answer 5

This is because Dr. appts are scheduled for complexity of problems... so when you say you have a sinus infection. You most likely get a 15 minute slot. So when Drs address other issues it puts them behind. Solution when making your appt. tell them everything, that way they can give you adequate time with the doctor. Its a win-win.

Answer 6

My doctor is the same way. He seems like it kills him to answer my questions, and that he is in such a hurry to get to the next patient. I think they want money and are trying to see too many patients in one day's time. My doctor can't even talk to me because he puts everything in the computer while I am in the exam room. He forgets what I am talking about because he is on the computer. Doctors think they are better than their patients anyway. They may be, but we pay their bills and they took the Hippocratic oath to help their fellow man and hopefully have a good bedside manner in doing so.

Answer 7

I am really surprised to know that doctors say "one issue per visit, please", It sounds so stupid, being a herbal doctor from India, I have never used modern medicine in my family, even in the state of emergency and I am so surprised to know that doctors can say that one issue at a time... this is really unbelievable.
The doctors have forgot to give quality of life rather than they are more concerned about increasing the life span of a person... but inturn they give poor quality of life to the patient... Nature has given us some basic laws which can not be ignored... these are the signs of God..... so it's ironic to treat one ailment at a time...
We should give more emphasis on life style and diet of people rather than medicines.. feel free to discuss anything on this topic

Answer 8

You have to call ahead and let them know that you need more than one issue looked into. Tell the preliminary nurse when she checks you out and then the doctor. Should he still treat you that way, find a new doctor...

Answer 9

not being an expert, this is the best answer i can give. 1. they are VERY busy, have tons of patients waiting, and just want to handle everyone's one biggest problem of the day.
2. (and more likely) they gets paid by the visit. If they handle one problem or ten, they get paid for one visit, so it is in their best interest to hold you to fewer problems so you have to come back.

Answer 10

Have to remember. they are dealing with symptoms only. They treat only the acute stage. Let them get irritated, you are paying for their service. Demand to get it.