Monday, July 20, 2009

Hospital Drive Thrus

I get so frustrated because I don't understand the political machine or big business and it appears to me that our health care is now big business. I'm pretty sure the two are sleeping together otherwise this wouldn't be happening. Somewhere along the way, medicine decided that making gobs of money took precedence over decency!


A dear friend just had surgery this morning and is being sent home this afternoon! Doesn't matter that he is a high health risk or that there was a lot of infection in the area where surgery was performed. It seems the doctors and hospitals have been getting a lot of flack from insurance companies over "unnecessary hospital stays" and don't want to pay. Rather than risk losing money, the care givers are obeying. I guess we know who is running the show as to our health issues. Just exactly when did at least an overnight hospital stay become unnecessary after a surgical procedure? When did "day surgery" become the norm for any and all procedures and sending patients home with drainage tubes acceptable?


I am absolutely livid with outrage. Instead of worrying about how to pay for health care, someone should address the health care or lack there of that is being paid for. A woman should not be expected to come home with a drainage tube where she used to have a breast just because the insurance carrier deems it appropriate. Last time I checked, they didn't have any medical degrees hanging in their corporate offices designating their worthiness to make such decisions.


I won't get started this time about the big pharmaceuticals. All I'll say is it's a sad sign of the times when a drug to make eyelashes longer takes precedence over cancer!


Money is being made hand over fist and in the process quality care is slowly disappearing. If they could get us to do it ourselves over the telephone and still bill us, I think they would!