You Are A Preferred Patient If You Are....?

There is little room for "theirs" and "ours" medicine, and there is very little of it. The myth that doctors, nurses, and health care workers get better or preferential treatment is absolutely preposterous. It' s more like rich patient, poor patient and healthy patient, sick patient. There is more health discrimination than ever amongst people based on sex, money, ethnic, and religious background. This is what we should be concerned about and be doing more to prevent any type of discrimination!

Think as you like; however, many documented experiences of health disparity occur amongst health care professionals by their own health care providers. How pathetic is that? If you are female, you will be more likely to get some "attempted" lack of health care by a doctor who may feel as every woman's symptom is "in her mind", and if you're over 65 the feeling is "who cares". Disabled patients especially those with communication challenges like hearing impairment, are underserved too often. If you are too sick, or they don't know what to do for you, you will be kicked to the curb. Oh, yes! When that happens, you must continue to seek and find the best for you and those you advocate.

Before your health care provider's options "run out", you better run...to you! It is in your best interest to know what illnesses affect you, and to know all about them. With the credible information on the Internet, from books, media, and from real people, you are able to know as much or more than your doctor about what ails you and what works best. The health care providers are there to coach, but it is your game.

Many patients come to me with more information than I already knew on conditions they have. It is good to see they want me to know and learn, too. In return, I read and research what they bring, and talk about what matters to them, what is best for them It would be really nice if more of my personal doctors did that. Doctors that failed to do so have been replaced (or should I say "kicked to the curb") with those that do best by me as a patient. There are good doctors, and there are bad doctors for everyone. It's your choice to take it...or leave it and move on. Someone will give you non discriminatory, preferential treatment as a patient, not by what you do or by by some other limiting parameter like age, sex, etc.

For many doctors I see as a patient, or advocate for someone else, there is no talk of Dr. Richardson. This actually can make it harder for me and them to get the best, most timely, and most cost effective health care. I am J. Richardson Patient. If I have to become Dr. Richardson, my appointment is not made sooner, my co payments remain the same, my health insurance premium goes up, and on and on. My peers, other health workers, and patients have similar stories.

Patients of this great nation, you must see that American health care doesn't care! There are no special favors like great care, and low cost unless you are "proven" 100% healthy, and/ or wealthy, i.e you have no pre-existing condition. Is a national health plan the only way we may see equal care for all? Maybe if we had health coverage like our President and lawmakers, things would be better, and would be in existence by now. After all we were promised that by them while they were campaigning for our trust and official appointment. Instead we are fed almost daily press conferences on healthcare for all repeating the same things in a different way on a different day.

It's your game - coach it, referee it, and play it so that you are the winner, my patients. You are a preferred patient if you are...getting good medical care.