I've sure been getting some complex patients lately.

[Aristus]

Despite the fact that my clinic is considered a primary care facility, a lot of homeless patients defer care until their condition has become emergent in nature. And if it's not an out-and-out emergency when they do present to the clinic, I'm still going to have my work cut out for me.

In the last two days, I've had three patients whose visits, if billed directly instead of paid for in a grant, would have billed out essentially as hospital visits.

It's hard work.

I like that it's hard. I feel like I'm doing something valuable with my day.

[w8liftinglady]

1. you are definitely doing something good.

i see the same thing in my patient population...people waiting until they are nearly dead.It's such a shame.
Your patients are so lucky to have you. Thanks for being there for them.

[nolabear]

2. Crazy, enit? I cannot figure out how that's supposed to be economically efficient.

Unless the gov't just hopes they'll die before they come in at all. It was posted somewhere on here recently that insurance profits are actually up because people are putting off being seen and let smaller things go. So sad.

Thanks to you both for being in the trenches.

[Aristus]

3. I saw something today that freaked me out, a little.

One of my emergent patients, who was new to me, if not the clinic, came in with blood pressure of 200/110. And presented with subconjunctival hemorrhages; crying blood like Le Chiffre in "Casino Royale".

I packed him off to the Emergency Room in a hurry.

:scared:

[Suich]

5. I woke up with that one morning in one eye...freaked me out.

I never knew what it was called. Went to the doctor that day but nothing was done and it eventually went away. I was told I could get it from sneezing or coughing hard. It happened when I was asleep so I have no idea.

That's really high blood pressure...hope they're ok.

Glad you're there to help, Aristus!

:yourock:

[lildreamer316]

4. Bless you

in a totally non-denominational way, of course.