jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Some online doctors give actual information, and some give miracle cures. Tap on your heat a few times, drink the right-color tea, lie on the ground under a full moon, and all your problems will be solved. People do these things instead of going to a real doctor until it's too late.

I'm going for my annual physical this morning. I'll answer a couple of dozen questions, and someone will listen to my heart and check my pulse and blood pressure. Then I will be poked and prodded to make sure things feel okay. Ninety percent of this could be done at my computer, but I'll drive in and wait in the waiting room. Then I'll wait in the exam room. "Be sure to arrive fifteen minutes before your appointment."

On the way home, I'll stop at Stewart's and buy ice cream.

pbearperry Loc: Massachusetts

I use Ice Cream for depression. lol

DickC Loc: NE Washington state

Your spot on Jerry, I go to the Cancer Care Center in Spokane every 3 months, same routine, and then wife and I go to the Chinese place for lunch!

kpsk_sony

Health care can be fun, with the right attitude!

Dannj

I look at it this way: I’m happy I can still get there! And being poked and prodded isn’t always that bad…it reminds me that I still have some feelings. Oh, and the best part is I’ll say or do something the nurse/technician can’t wait to tell their friends about😳😂

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Jerry,
Best wishes on your check-up.
You are right, ice cream is a miracle cure second only to aspirin, and some will argue that ranking.
I think that the older you get the more often ice cream should be administered instead of just on "Special Occasions".
After a certain age, Every Day is a special occasion, grin.
Smile,
JimmyT Sends

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Can I get Express Scripts to bring me some Baskin-Robbins?

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

Good advice

David Martin Loc: Cary, NC

In previous times, a visit to the doctor involved quite a bit of visual inspection, hands-on poking and prodding, and careful listening ("auscultation") of the heart, lungs, neck and abdomen. Well-trained doctors could diagnose, or at least reasonably suspect, the presence of a variety of conditions that now require a battery of blood tests, x-rays, ultrasounds, scans, etc.

Today's doctors are fairly clueless regarding any but the most obvious physical signs of illness. Most doctors now regularly examine people through their clothing -- if they even touch their patients at all -- and only in a cursory manner. While testing has obvious value, and can be essential, the physical part of having a complete physical examination, is a lost art. As they say, "The best way to listen to a patient's lungs is to order a CT scan."

You are correct, nowadays a doctor visit can be conducted online. You will answer a few questions, which will tell the doctor which pre-printed algorithm to follow, according to which the doctor will order a few thousand dollars worth of tests, and go from there.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

True

Dannj

Today’s doctors and, perhaps more importantly, tomorrow’s doctors don’t have the experienced of being trained by hands-on physicians. Technology is wonderful and will save lives but there remains a lot to be said for old-school medical practices. My now retired GP for example would have me squeeze my eyes shut for a few seconds. After years of his doing this, I asked him why and he told me that certain circulatory issues could be identified by how slowly blood flow returned to the eyelids. It’s akin to the plumber who can tell you what your pressure problem is just by opening a few faucets without testing the whole system. Or the mechanic who just has to listen.
We’re getting to a point where practically anyone who can read and follow directions will be able to perform many tasks previously left to the licensed/accredited professionals.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Me, too. I met a friend in the doctor's waiting room. On the way home, I stopped for ice cream. She was in there, too.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I didn't have to open my faucet, but I did have to answer a lot of questions that the doctor read off his computer screen. I waited 55 minutes for a 15 min exam. Things have changed since the doctor who started the place retired. Now, it's owned by Nuvance, and I'm sure they're behind a lot of the changes.

Dannj

[quote=jerryc41
Now, it's owned by Nuvance, and I'm sure they're behind a lot of the changes.[/quote]

I don’t there are any private practices any more except for doctors who treat wealthy patients where insurance isn’t an issue.
When my old GP was still practicing the annual physical started in his office where he would ask me: “How you feelin’?” and we went on from there. Now the visits are obviously structured and timed as dictated by the “provider”. It’s apparent even in the layout of the office and the examining rooms.
I like the current GP. He’s competent…I think…and I trust him. I try to personalize the visits as much as I can and at the last exam, after he’d gone over everything, I asked him if he could put the laptop down for a minute, forget that I was his patient, and talk to me like I was his favorite uncle. Tell me what you would tell him about taking care of himself. We wound of having a meaningful conversation before, of course, he had to move on to the next patient.

quagmire Loc: Greenwood,South Carolina

had three appointments this week, can run an EKG on my phone.