Consumer Angst
New research from BRG highlights patient frustration with healthcare system, recommendations
So I am not sure what to make of the fact that when I asked my doctor if my leg pain was deep vein thrombosis or the effects of aging, he said "yes." My wife says I confused him like I do when I ask the Dunkin Donuts lady for a regular decaf. She says I ought to just suck it up and spend the $89.99 for the legexerciser that the TV set is advertising for 75 year olds. She had a good laugh about that. My frustration with diagnosing my life - figuring out where I left my readers or coffee mug or deciphering that lingering leg pain is peanuts compared to the real problems many people with mental and physical chronic conditions face. Samantha Kaishian, MPH, has polled consumers about their growing frustration with the healthcare system, perhaps at its highest point since 2008 when people skipped primary care checkups due to financial stress, leading to a spike in late-stage cancer diagnosis. Check out the research here - it scratches the surface of a healthcare system strained for labor and clarity - patients showing up at the pharmacy, struggling to breathe due to seasonal asthma, prescribed a generic inhaler that will cost them $370 - that's right, a generic - waiting for their doctor to resubmit an alternative, left to go to the ER.