Speed Bump by Dave Coverly for December 16, 2019

This is a big improvement on the drive-through window.

My insurance pays for most of the cost of this kind of health “care”. But I can actually get time with a knowledgeable person (not always a doc) if I’m willing pay a significantly larger fraction myself. See also “in network” payments versus “out of network”.

What if they could develop a conveyor system that ran throughout the hospital, picking up patients from wherever, then returning them from whence they came? The nurses could just load you on and off, the docs could input the needed tests or scans or what-have-you to the computer system, your coded wrist band would identify you to everyone so they could match the instructions with the right patient. Then, when all was done, the lab techs load you back onto the conveyor and you are returned, again according to the ID coded on your wrist band. The mind boggles. Someone will design, and perhaps create, a fully automated system that has robots controlling a human being’s health care.

“Please explain your symptoms, breathe in deeply, pee in this cup, list the medications you are currently taking, and turn your head and cough.”

The hippocratic oath was changed to the hypocritic oath when physicians began working for corporations and not themselves.

I recently had cataract surgery. This comic is true to life.

When in Florida I figure on spending half a day waiting for a doctor to see me. Up here in Montana, an hour or two.

Seeing the Amazon company nurse.

Wallets vacuumed while you wait…

So far I’m satisfied….EXCEPT for the X internist I went to….he just got indicted for handing out opioids to a patient who just got out of rehab but continued to feed him pain killers, The patient died…..another doctor was involved also. He’ll probably get a hand slap and continue his practice…..he also is a sarcastic, snide, and sexually “suggestive” abusive to his patients….that’s why he’s an X!

These days you only get to see nurse practioners!

Voodoo Juju:

https://youtu.be/R-iRyZyia1w

The result of dominance of third party payers in the bizzare health economy. When governmwnt and insurance comoanies are in charge, this is what you get..

This was like my cataract surgery. The operation only takes about 5 minutes. You are barely sedated, so you recover in about 15 minutes.

I notice that ads don’t say doctor any more, it’s always health care provider.

The doctor said, “Young man, I’m not surprised to see you here – you’ve got smoker’s cough from smoking, brewer’s droop from drinking beer – I don’t know how you came to have those Bette Davis knees – but worst of all, young man, you’ve got industrial disease. Take two of these and call me – next patient please! – send in another victim of industrial disease.” – lyrics by Mark Knopfler

My annual physical with Kaiser Permanente in California had a crowd of us walking between stations where different tests were done. Two different people did the “turn your head and cough” but nobody checked my blood pressure. I knew I was done when the door they sent me though put me in the parking lot.

But it’s Oh So Affordable Mr. ’Bama

The Fast Food of MRIs?