Routine 6 month exam and I knew my blood glucose and blood pressure were in the good range - better than last visit and that's what visit was about. I liked my doctor but she was new, this was my 4th visit with her. She took over after my 25 years doc and lifetime friend passed. This was a family practice that was recently bought out by area's major hospital. None of the old doctors and few staff are left plus they moved their location from prime medical arts bldg with pedway access to the hospital to bfe a 20 minute ambulance ride if something goes wrong.

I had that happen in 2014, called and described possible heart attack symptoms, said come right in asap, in office the ekg was bad so I was wheelchaired to the cath lab and was on the operating table in 20 minutes. I'm a lucky man - a long clot in widowmaker but 1 stent fixed it and my ejection fraction is 54% 5 years later - pretty much normal. I take nothing but a lo dose aspirin and 20mg simvastatin for the ticker.

What gave me the red ass was the mask requirement. Mandates have been over in s Indiana, although medical may be still following, but I've had enough. When the receptionist handed me a mask I refused and said I'm not wearing one. That led to "you have to". My response was no I don't, cancel the appointment. Receptionist was caught off guard but it went pleasant enough.

I've got another primary care physician lined up that is considerably more convenient and I have a connection as they treat my wife and my mother was a beloved patient until she passed. In reality I was looking for a reason/excuse to change doctors.

No real point to this mini rant but it pissed me off that these worthless mask restrictions are still being enforced so I voted with my feet - they probably won't miss me but I feel good about leaving.

Good, pushback anywhere you can.
I had to pay a bill and stopped into the local clinic where the hospital that owns everything still requires a mask. I didn’t wear one. The lady behind the desk never looked up when she called “next”. I walked up and sat down and when she looked up she said I had to wear a mask.

I said “ I’m here to pay a $700 bill, do you want my money or not? I’m not wearing a mask. “

She took my payment.

They are allegedly doctors that work here (I know the front people aren’t) but Sweet Baby Jesus, don’t they know by now that masks don’t work and it’s all kabuki theater…

Yes, my cardiologist's practice was bought out by a hospital chain, and when I was there last October, I went round and round with the office manager over their Goddamned mask obsession.

It's so fucked up- "You MUST put this on!" Wanted me to wait in her fucking office instead of the waiting area, because I didn't want to wear the thing! I put the stupid thing on and then sat in the waiting area. As if this gal is going to make me sit in her office like I'm a third-grader waiting to get a lecture by the school principal!

As soon as I sat down in the waiting area they called me- I mean the moment my ass hit the seat.

I get in the room with the doc and I take it off and he's fine with it. Fuckin' theater is all it is. He got an ear-full about it but the man is as cool as the backside of my pillow. He said don't sweat it. He said "You're my patient, not theirs."

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
They are allegedly doctors that work here (I know the front people aren’t) but Sweet Baby Jesus, don’t they know by now that masks don’t work and it’s all kabuki theater…

It's not the docs or the hospital. CMS still requires them. The hospital has to enforce it or they don't get paid.

Doublesharp, I’m in @15% ejection. Cardiologist said a face mask for you. Got my weed eating face shield & slap her on when I have to go to the doctor offices. The Dr. Offices & hospital are the last mask hold outs around my area.

I work in healthcare and it's the government doing this crap. I have to walk around all day in an N95 mask and full face shield because CMS makes us. Along with the vaccine mandate. We can't get these bozos out of office soon enough.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
They are allegedly doctors that work here (I know the front people aren’t) but Sweet Baby Jesus, don’t they know by now that masks don’t work and it’s all kabuki theater…

It's not the docs or the hospital. CMS still requires them. The hospital has to enforce it or they don't get paid.

This is something people don’t understand how much control CMS has. They pay the majority of medical reimbursement and often insurance companies parrot CMS guidelines on everything.
It has become insane. Come to my orthopedic office for a broken arm, get asked when your last colonoscopy was. It of course has nothing to do with your broken arm, and getting the answer won’t improve the care your arm gets. But, if we don’t ask these questions and record the answers, our reimbursement goes down.
I suspect I will be wearing a mask for the remainder of my career

I agree that masks are stupid and ineffective, but my medical visits (doctor's office and hospital) all require them. Most businesses in town have now taken down their "masks required" signs, though. Since I'm getting old with a lot of medical issues (under control, thankfully) I have to comply with the mandates of the facilities or just forgo treatment, so I wear the dumb mask. Even my church has now gone "optional masks" and most folks don't wear them there now. AFAIK, there has not been a local spike in COVID cases (and don't really care--it's not the number of cases that is important, but the numbers of serious ones and deaths that are).

My take on the issue: wear the mask if there is no good alternative, and don't where there is. Don't be a Don Quixote tilting at windmills--it really doesn't do much good.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by recoatlift:
...
The Dr. Offices & hospital are the last mask hold outs around my area.

Yes, same here locally. I'm a member of a Direct Primary Care (DPC), one of their first patients actually, and my doc was promoted to the head doc of their local chain of "wellness centers", and he makes their office policies. On their door they have a green sign that says masks are optional for vaccinated people, but required for the unvaccinated.

I don't like wearing a mask, but I like the practice itself and like my doc, and I recognize that they have some patients that may have illnesses that make them more succeptible to C-19 so, grudgingly, I follow their request. I had a good discussion with my doc about the policy, explained I didn't like mask wearing but would comply, and he explained that he recognized the debate, and that he was the one that crafted their policy of compromise and voluntary compliance.

Now, my cardiologists are part of a hospital system and the hospital system has a mandatory mask wearing policy, no exceptions. No mask, no doctor visit.

I was in my cardiologist's waiting room last month and a man older than myself walked in without a mask. When the receptionist pointed out their policy he complained about it loudly, but he had obviously done this before there and accepted the transparent face shield they gave him to wear. Interestingly, the moment he spoke I recognized him, even though we had never met or been together in person. He is a well-known local crusty old Conservative, active on the local and state political scene for decades, and in his younger days was the author of an excellent amendment to our state Constitution. He has a deep recognizable voice and speech pattern and I've heard him interviewed on radio and TV for 20 + years. I almost went over to introduce myself to him and thank him for his work but he was still grumbling with the receptionist and I was in a hurry to get out of the building to take my mask off.

After every visit to our local hospital system for either in-patient or out-patient visits, we receive how'd we do? surveys on phones and emails, so I usually give them good feedback and comments, but complain nicely about their mask policies and make the case for why it is unnecessary and why it is detrimental.

I think masks in doctors offices and hospitals and other medical facilities are here to stay.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I think masks in doctors offices and hospitals and other medical facilities are here to stay.

At least for the next three years.

How did you arrive at that estimate?

The time left for this administration to be directing the CMS mandates.

And, yes, that could be seen as interjecting politics into a thread, but masking is a political issue.

quote:

Originally posted by doublesharp:


No real point to this mini rant but it pissed me off that these worthless mask restrictions are still being enforced so I voted with my feet - they probably won't miss me but I feel good about leaving.

good for you

it's about all you can do. i hope your new MDs work out for the best.

it sucks when these big outfits adopt these 'one size fits all policies'

----------------------------------

Last routine visit to my primary care doc, the sign at the door said "masks required."

I wore one until I got into the exam room. Sat there for a few minutes (I always bring my Kindle with me, so I can read while waiting), doc knocks lightly on the door, enters, closes door, removes his mask. Offers to keep it on if I prefer.

"Nope, not at all. Mind if I take mine off?"

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
And, yes, that could be seen as interjecting politics into a thread, but masking is a political issue.

No, you're fine. I asked you and you responded. The guideline in question is not intended to hamstring members.

I work in healthcare. Like most of the country the mask mandates have been lifted in almost every location here except for healthcare. As part of a hospital system the leadership is following CDC guidelines. So, we have to wear mask when at work and we have to require that all patients and visitors wear them too.

While there may be some healthcare workers who enjoy or want to wear them, the ones I work with are just as sick of them as you are. We'd much rather not wear them ourselves and not have to ask/tell people to wear them - but it's required where we work.

Yes, you have the option to leave but most people just play the game and put one on (sometimes they even cover their nose). Yes, it's all theatre, but a lot of what goes on in healthcare IS theatre so it's no surprise we're clinging to the mask mandates.

Yep, regulations. We visit physicians at three different buildings in the same hospital/office park. First building, connected to the actual hospital, masks required. Second building, not connected but the same practice offices and some hospital offices, no mask required. Third building, not connected, different practice, masks required.

My primary care office is the only place I go that still has a mask requirement. Silliness.

quote:

Originally posted by doublesharp:
Routine 6 month exam and I knew my blood glucose and blood pressure were in the good range - better than last visit and that's what visit was about. I liked my doctor but she was new, this was my 4th visit with her. She took over after my 25 years doc and lifetime friend passed. This was a family practice that was recently bought out by area's major hospital. None of the old doctors and few staff are left plus they moved their location from prime medical arts bldg with pedway access to the hospital to bfe a 20 minute ambulance ride if something goes wrong.

I had that happen in 2014, called and described possible heart attack symptoms, said come right in asap, in office the ekg was bad so I was wheelchaired to the cath lab and was on the operating table in 20 minutes. I'm a lucky man - a long clot in widowmaker but 1 stent fixed it and my ejection fraction is 54% 5 years later - pretty much normal. I take nothing but a lo dose aspirin and 20mg simvastatin for the ticker.

What gave me the red ass was the mask requirement. Mandates have been over in s Indiana, although medical may be still following, but I've had enough. When the receptionist handed me a mask I refused and said I'm not wearing one. That led to "you have to". My response was no I don't, cancel the appointment. Receptionist was caught off guard but it went pleasant enough.

I've got another primary care physician lined up that is considerably more convenient and I have a connection as they treat my wife and my mother was a beloved patient until she passed. In reality I was looking for a reason/excuse to change doctors.

No real point to this mini rant but it pissed me off that these worthless mask restrictions are still being enforced so I voted with my feet - they probably won't miss me but I feel good about leaving.

I'm with you. Don't throw a fit, just go elsewhere.

It is also irritating when a business you have used for years changes the very things you like about it. It is their prerogative, of course, but that doesn't mean you have to stay there.