# Doctor's appointments being changed?



## Micheal

Got off the phone with the doctor's office (primary care), they are postponing the wife's and my appointments from next month to the end of May and into the middle of June since they are only folllow-up type appointments. My brother's appointments have also been changed from this Friday till mid September. 
Was told if we needed to see a doctor before then to CALL first to see where we should go for care.

How bout your healthcare appointments?


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## Irish Pixie

Ours for April haven't been changed, but we both received a voice mail this morning from the hospital stating that many app'ts can be done via video call. 

Mr. Pixie has a necessary procedure toward the end of the month, maybe it could be cancelled or moved, but hasn't yet. They haven't cancelled his allergy shots, but now require an app't rather than just stopping in.


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## Lisa in WA

Yeah, my follow up visits after foot surgery were moved unless I have a problem and they can do a video visit. 
No problems so far (knocking wood) and I’m back to walking every day with DH.
I’m supposed to have a pin removed from the bone in May and no idea if that’s still on or what.


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## In The Woods

My wife has an endoscopy scheduled for April 6th. Routine annual maintenance thing for her. They called last week and cancelled it - don’t know if it will be rescheduled or not.

She also has a follow up appointment with the orthopedic surgeon on Thursday - probably the last follow up from her knee replacement. No word yet if it is cancelled or not.


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## emdeengee

Lots being cancelled or moved but many also using video and telephone to keep contact with patients and decide what is next step for them. Screening at all the entrances to clinics, offices and hospitals. Only emergency surgeries being performed as well as most testing.


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## Cabin Fever

Many routine "doctor appointments" are being conducted over the phone between the patient and the doctor.


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## mzgarden

Yep, all our annual check up types are cancelled. I'll reschedule later this year. I had one issue - normally would go to the local clinic, used telehealth for the first time. Cheaper, fast, easy - became an instant fan.


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## Alice In TX/MO

All the people in my family/friends have had them rescheduled waaaay out in the future.


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## emdeengee

Some very important and urgent surgeries are being cancelled including cancer tumor removal surgeries. Important, urgent but not emergencies. Also a lot of eye surgeries. Nearly all hip and knee surgeries.


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## po boy

I got an email from my primary to confirm my appointment for 4-1-2020 and I made the decision to delay 60 days.
A few weeks ago, my eyeball doctor sent an email saying they were closing all of their satellite offices and didn't mention anything about re-opening. They did call to reschedule an appointment set for next week.


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## Bearfootfarm

Lisa in WA said:


> I’m supposed to have a pin removed from the bone in May and no idea if that’s still on or what.


If they cancel let me know.
I have a drill and some pliers.


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## po boy

jack hammer?


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## NRA_guy

Yep. My appointment with a doctor has been rescheduled and my wife's appointment for some medical procedure has as well.

My question is: Without income from patients and insurance companies, how do they plan to keep paying the rent and power bill?

Are they just staying at home or sitting around their office?

Their help may get a paycheck or two, but that will soon come to a screeching halt.

I really see no reason for appointments to be rescheduled.

All they need to do is take proper precautions.


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## Danaus29

Video chat or phone chat, you still get to pay for the consultation.

Doctors here stopped seeing sick people a couple weeks ago. 

Hubby has a follow up appointment scheduled for mid April. Son has one scheduled for late April. Haven't heard the status of either appointment, only time will tell.


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## In The Woods

My wife’s other appointment was cancelled for Thursday with no rescheduling. This is a follow up appointment with her orthopedic surgeon after her full knee replacement last May. It became an ongoing thing since she got a bad infection.

As far as the video chat stuff with doctors - Medicare now includes TeleHealth in their coverage. I live in a very rural area and just don’t see the local doctors and clinics adopting this.

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/telehealth


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## Bearfootfarm

NRA_guy said:


> I really see no *reason* for appointments to be rescheduled.


They don't want possibly infected people coming to the facilities and endangering the lives of those who work there. It's about slowing the spread until treatments can be found and production of supplies can be increased.

Many of the "visits" can be done remotely. People having critical procedures will still be seen, but a routine exam can often be done over the internet for many things.


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## emdeengee

Here there are different rates of pay for doctors for personal visits and telecommunication visits. Telephone and video conferences and "examinations" have been used here for well over a decade now. I have had several with oncologists etc. If they want physical touching and measuring a nurse is stationed in the room for the "exam".

The doctors will earn less but they are doing this to keep their patients, staff and themselves at a lower risk. This also frees them to re-assign staff to other clinics and hospitals. And prepare for if and when they do have to work with a lot less staff who may become ill or just exhausted.


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## 101pigs

Micheal said:


> Got off the phone with the doctor's office (primary care), they are postponing the wife's and my appointments from next month to the end of May and into the middle of June since they are only folllow-up type appointments. My brother's appointments have also been changed from this Friday till mid September.
> Was told if we needed to see a doctor before then to CALL first to see where we should go for care.
> 
> How bout your healthcare appointments?


No change here so far. Stopped in the VA a couple days ago and got new batterys for my hearing aid.


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## Chris in Mich

PCP appointment and follow-ups all bumped. They are presuming that the clot actively moving through my body is not high-enough priority to warrant continued monitoring.


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## Danaus29

I just don't see how a doctor can listen to your heart and lungs via teleconference.
My doctor wants to see me in person for a follow up. Pretty strange since they would not see me in person for a strep test 2 weeks ago.


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## Bearfootfarm

Danaus29 said:


> I just don't see how a doctor can listen to your heart and lungs via teleconference.


That's not something that is always necessary.


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## Danaus29

Then why do they always do it?
Maybe blood pressure, pulse, oxygen levels and weight aren't important either. Neither is looking up your nose, at your throat, in your ears and feeling your lymph nodes.


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## Bearfootfarm

Danaus29 said:


> Then why do they always do it?


It kills time and helps them justify the high prices they charge for that 10 minute visit.
While they are doing it they can make other observations.

Whether or not it's truly necessary depends on your specific problem.
With Covid 19, it's fairly easy to determine if you need to be seen.

It's all about the details.


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## Bearfootfarm

Danaus29 said:


> Maybe blood pressure, pulse, oxygen levels and weight aren't important either.


Again, it all depends on the specifics.

I can give them all the information you listed above.

There are even apps to turn a smart phone into a stethoscope.
https://www.thinklabs.com/apps-software


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## Lisa in WA

Bearfootfarm said:


> Again, it all depends on the specifics.
> 
> I can give them all the information you listed above.
> 
> There are even apps to turn a smart phone into a stethoscope.
> https://www.thinklabs.com/apps-software


And an EKG!
https://www.alivecor.com/kardiamobile


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## Bearfootfarm

Lisa in WA said:


> And an EKG!


I don't recall if I've ever had or needed one of those.
If I go sit on the back porch it usually won't be long before I can get a cat scan though.


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## Irish Pixie

Chris in Mich said:


> PCP appointment and follow-ups all bumped. They are presuming that the clot actively moving through my body is not high-enough priority to warrant continued monitoring.


That's scary, Chris.


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## po boy

A little off-topic. My great-nephew cut his thumb to the bone with a miter saw, his dad rushed him to the hospital and his dad had to stay in his truck while they treated his son.


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## Bearfootfarm

This is a good time to be extra careful.
What would have been a relatively minor injury before could be deadly now just due to having to go to a Dr.


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## RobertDane

My nephrologist msg me asking if I wanted to do a telemedical..whatever that is...I sent them a msg asking ???...they responded that my appointment wasn't until june...Nice...they still didn't answer my question..Maybe they expect for me
to do my own renal lab..


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## NRA_guy

OK, I have been trying to figure out "the big picture" on medical facilities and doctors cancelling or rescheduling non-coronavirus medical concerns.

I think I came up with a possibility.

Large medical insurance companies like Blue Cross and government medical programs like MediCare and Medicaid pretty well dictate what happens in the medical world nowadays. If you think not, you are naive.

Every time anybody visits a doctor, either a medical insurance company, MediCare, or Medicaid typically pays a fairly large portion of the cost.

So . . . with the predictions of the wide spread medical demands for treating corona virus, I suspect that medical insurance companies, MediCare, and Medicaid are looking at their predicted costs and secretly forcing medical facilities to cut back on visits to reduce their non-corona virus expenditures.

When you think about it, the corona virus epidemic could bankrupt medical insurance companies and exceed the budgets of MediCare, and Medicaid.

Obviously, the government can just print more money to cover whatever MediCare and Medicaid expenses arise, but that is not the case with insurance companies.


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## frogmammy

Why would you WANT to go to a doctor's office at this time? There's SICK people there!

Mon


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## emdeengee

Our doctors and clinics are continuing to treat patients but screening by phone first. If things are serious the patient is advised to go straight to the hospital. Many phone and video consults are taking place now so patients are still having their "appointments". 

The offices are running on basic staff which has allowed the other staff to go to other clinics and the hospital. One of our doctor's office nurses was working in medical daycare when I was in for my chemo treatment. Our family doctor has passed his patients on to a colleague now as he is also a surgeon and emergency doctor and is working at the hospital. This is a great way to utilize the medical professionals in areas where they are most needed.


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## NRA_guy

frogmammy said:


> Why would you WANT to go to a doctor's office at this time? There's SICK people there!
> 
> Mon


Well, maybe I have a terrible tooth ache and want a dentist to see about it.

Or maybe I have a PSA number that is going up, up, and away and my family physician wants a urologist to check it out before it gets worse.

Or maybe I have a scary place on my skin and it is getting scarier every week and I want a dermatologist to check it out before it gets worse.

Or maybe my wife has a lump in her breast that they have earlier expressed a need to check every 6 months and the 6 months is up.

Lots of non-epidemic reasons folks need to see a doctor . . .


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## frogmammy

Hey, in the BEST of times I don't like going to the doctor. Don't see any reason to change that just because of an epidemic.

Mon


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## NRA_guy

Most of my doctor appointments in the last few years have resulted in a phone call from the doctor's office the day before my appointment saying, "I'm sorry. Dr. Xyz will be tied up tomorrow. Would you like to keep your appointment and see a Physician's Assistant instead?"

I'm like, "No. If I need to see a doctor, I want to see a real doctor. If I won't get to see a doctor, I'll just stay at home."

They keep trying to pawn me and other patients off onto Nurse Practitioners and Physician's Assistants.

Wonder if they reduce the cost that they charge accordingly?

PS: If televisits to doctor appointments are now the rage and the future, does that mean that all those times they have taken a patient's temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and weight, and listened to his chest with a stethoscope have been unnecessary?

You surely do not get any of those with a televisit.


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## Wolf mom

Seriously? 
In the time of this pandemic, any type of contact, like over the phone, with a Dr. to answer questions is better than none. If the Dr. at the time of talking with you deems a face-to-face is necessary, he can tell you then. If a blood draw, etc. is necessary, he can direct you to go directly to the lab where an order is waiting.


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## frogmammy

NRA_guy said:


> ...
> does that mean that all those times they have taken a patient's temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and weight, and listened to his chest with a stethoscope have been unnecessary?....


If you were fishing, that would be called chumming the water.

Mon


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## NRA_guy

Wolf mom said:


> Seriously?
> In the time of this pandemic, any type of contact, like over the phone, with a Dr. to answer questions is better than none. If the Dr. at the time of talking with you deems a face-to-face is necessary, he can tell you then. If a blood draw, etc. is necessary, he can direct you to go directly to the lab where an order is waiting.


Serious as a heart attack. 

Or should I say "dead serious"?

If all I'm going to get is a doctor on the phone asking me if I feel OK and if anything has changed, I might as well just visit WebMD https://www.webmd.com/ and figure it out for myself.


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## Bearfootfarm

NRA_guy said:


> Lots of non-epidemic reasons folks need to see a doctor .


All the preliminary information for those conditions can be gathered without an office visit.

They can decide then if the patient needs to be seen in person.

Many times it's something for which a prescription can be called in without any physical presence required.



NRA_guy said:


> If all I'm going to get is a doctor on the phone asking me if I feel OK and if anything has changed, I might as well just visit WebMD https://www.webmd.com/ and figure it out for myself.


Web MD doesn't have your patient history at their disposal, and can't call in a prescription or set up an immediate appointment if needed.


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## Danaus29

Wolf mom said:


> Seriously?
> In the time of this pandemic, any type of contact, like over the phone, with a Dr. to answer questions is better than none. If the Dr. at the time of talking with you deems a face-to-face is necessary, he can tell you then. If a blood draw, etc. is necessary, he can direct you to go directly to the lab where an order is waiting.


Yep, and get charged twice for the services.


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## Mish

po boy said:


> A little off-topic. My great-nephew cut his thumb to the bone with a miter saw, his dad rushed him to the hospital and his dad had to stay in his truck while they treated his son.


That is the scary part to me. My grandmother was a surgical nurse for many years and the rule she made for our family was to never let anyone go to the hospital (including the ER) alone. I've had enough experience over the decades with a chronically ill child that I've realized this is the best advice there is.

I might end up getting arrested if one of my immediate family members had to go into the hospital and they wouldn't let me go with them.


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## po boy

Mish said:


> That is the scary part to me. My grandmother was a surgical nurse for many years and the rule she made for our family was to never let anyone go to the hospital (including the ER) alone. I've had enough experience over the decades with a chronically ill child that I've realized this is the best advice there is.
> 
> I might end up getting arrested if one of my immediate family members had to go into the hospital and they wouldn't let me go with them.


The kid is twenty. The cut was to the bone and it took a lot of time to get it cleaned up and stitched. Sitting and waiting like that would be hard on me.


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## Mish

po boy said:


> The kid is twenty. The cut was to the bone and it took a lot of time to get it cleaned up and stitched. Sitting and waiting like that would be hard on me.


Something like that is slightly different (I'd still be hesitant to let him go in alone, especially if he's given any painkillers that make him unable to make coherent decisions for himself), but inpatient things scare me. I've literally saved my daughter's life twice by being in the room with her after surgery, once stopping a second nurse from giving her morphine after the first nurse had come in less than 5 minutes prior and gave her some and she was already exhibiting depressed breathing, and a second time by being in the room and stopping them when they tried to give her an intravenous drug that we'd already told them she's deathly allergic to. If I hadn't been there those times it could have gone really badly. On top of dozens of other mistakes that weren't deadly but merely painful or ended up causing more long-term issues. All of these happened either when she was an older teenager or an adult, by the way, not a small child.

Mistakes happen a lot, which is why my grandmother made that rule in the first place. Sending people to the hospital alone scares me more than the virus based on experience. 

Everyone needs to make their own choices, of course.


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## Bearfootfarm

Danaus29 said:


> Yep, and get charged twice for the services.


Not necessarily.
Also, it save the patient the trouble and associated costs of having to go to the office.
Most of the good Doctors here are over 25 miles away.
If all I need is a prescription refilled it's wasteful to drive that far to have them call one in.


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## Shrek

Our GP hasn't changed any appointments for four of us who use his service but they did change their office setup with healthy follow ups / prescriptions through the side entrance to their primary exam area and small waiting room off the bullpen area and sick patients through the front waiting area for exam in their nurse practitioner exam area As they have 4 GPs, two work the healthy follow up side and two work the sick patient side and te two areas have separate HVAC.

As of last week my GP and the one who fills in for him were both working the healthy side. Hopefully they will still be working it when I go for my follow up in 3 weeks as they both understand I still get my prescriptions in paper form so I am able to double check that they are proper before I go to the pharmacy because the two times they called them in, once they had the quantities and daily dosage messed up and the other time they called in a sound similar medication that if my pharmacist hadn't caught it, would of either killed me or landed me in intensive care.

i often get a kick out of the new nurses faces when during preliminary check and med refill info when I tell them I get paper prescriptions, they say "most all of our patients prefer the ease of us calling them in for them" and I reply "most patients haven't had the doctor almost kill them twice in the time they have been with this office, I will take paper so I can proof read them before I leave the office."


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## NRA_guy

Wow! You can read a doctor's prescription?

I am surprised. 

I never could.


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## GTX63

Pretend you are about to write something in cursive, using a nearly empty Bic ballpoint. As you begin the second letter, someone hits you blindsided and completely knocks you off of your chair. That is my wife's doctor's handwriting.
Or, place a pencil taped between the talons of a leghorn. About the same legibility.


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## robin416

NRA_guy said:


> Wow! You can read a doctor's prescription?
> 
> I am surprised.
> 
> I never could.


Most aren't using the codes like TID, QD etc anymore. So you'll be able to read it now. That's if they even hand you one, most of my docs send them electronically now.


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## robin416

Had the dentist office call me this morning and cancel my appointment for this month. I'm on a list to be called when all this gets worked out. Might be a while.


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## Danaus29

Bearfootfarm said:


> Not necessarily.
> Also, it save the patient the trouble and associated costs of having to go to the office.
> Most of the good Doctors here are over 25 miles away.
> If all I need is a prescription refilled it's wasteful to drive that far to have them call one in.


Doctors don't give you a phone visit free. Telehealth visits are charged, maybe a slightly lower cost, but they are charged. Then if you have to go to the office for labs there is another charge. With my insurance you pay extra if you have labs after a telehealth visit, and you pay another office visit charge if during the telehealth visit the doctor decides you need to be seen in person.


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## [email protected]

I am due for a hip replacement on May 7. we check every week and it is still a go.. we will see.
I went to the VA last week for labs. I was stopped at the door and questioned , did I have to cough, sneeze or headaches ?? None of that ..
She then asked if I had an appointment, Yes..
when I got inside,, I was the only person in the waiting area. when I left, there was nobody in the waiting area and not a car in the parking lot..
tomorrow I am going to the eye doctor..
I am not supposed to touch my eyes, but I guess it is OK for him to do so ???


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## Bearfootfarm

[email protected] said:


> I am not supposed to touch my eyes, but I guess it is *OK for him to do so ???*


Everything he uses will be sterilized or sanitized.
You can touch your face or eyes if it's done immediately after scrubbing your hands.


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## Irish Pixie

I have a chiropractor app't for tomorrow. I'm going. My chiro knows my husband is a nurse, and she's fine with it. I'll make my co pay and next app't on the phone so I'm no where near the receptionist, and the chiro will strap me onto the "the rack" aka stretching machine. 

My back/hip hurts, I can't take anti inflammatory meds, and I want the pain down to at least a dull roar.


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## Irish Pixie

Our primary (she's a PA) just cancelled the six month checkups that were scheduled for next week, and moved them to the middle of May. 

I have a podiatrist app't scheduled for late next week, I'll call and advise her (again) that my husband is a nurse and does she want to reschedule the visit. I'm having issues with the toe again, home treatment seems to be working tho.


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## Danaus29

IrishPixie, I hope the chiro makes you feel better. I know that pain, not fun at all.
I love that stretching machine, never had it with previous chiro's. This one uses it on me every time. I can't believe how much it helps.


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## Irish Pixie

Danaus29 said:


> IrishPixie, I hope the chiro makes you feel better. I know that pain, not fun at all.
> I love that stretching machine, never had it with previous chiro's. This one uses it on me every time. I can't believe how much it helps.


Thanks you. I've been using Thermacare heat wraps and while they do help a lot, "the rack" will make it better for a longer period of time.


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## emdeengee

I went to the hospital for my regular Chemo treatment yesterday. Parking lot half empty, screening stations and security at the entrances the number of which have been reduced. No visitors at all and caregivers may not be allowed to be with patients but a nurse will be with them instead. 

All areas of the hospital are functioning but with the appointments spread out more so that there are less people at any given time. The hours have also been expanded to keep the number of patients the same. Surgeries are just for emergencies or to take over procedures that would normally be done in other hospitals. Flights sending patients to larger centers for treatment have been greatly reduced as a result. We have some amazing general surgeons and doctors here who are equipped to handle just about everything. Most have worked all over the world and had to improvise a lot so are not afraid to tackle anything which is probably why they chose to be here in the territory.

Retired nurses and doctors have been coming back to work. All doctors offices and general clinics have switched to telephone and video consultations to "triage" patients to determine their needs. One notable difference is the reduction of patients in the emergency room. People who would go there for every little thing are now not bothering. Since the liquour store has closed the number of alcohol overdoses has also significantly dropped although still a tragic number.


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## Bearfootfarm

emdeengee said:


> Since the liquour store has closed the number of alcohol overdoses has also significantly dropped although still a tragic number.


They should do that here too.


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## Shrek

NRA_guy said:


> Wow! You can read a doctor's prescription?
> 
> I am surprised.
> 
> I never could.


I remember those hard to read handwritten days too, but even before my pharmacist telling me of the medical short hand used then, I could read the numbers at least.

Now prescriptions are plain language typeface printed and some prescriptions require the doctor's registry number seal pressed into the printed prescription page like a notary public seal is pressed into a document.


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## flewism

I'm having my first video tele visit tomorrow with my pulmonologist. They called me last Thursday to see if I would do this or still planned to go to his office. I see him every 6 months and he will renew my prescriptions for 6 months. It should be cut and dry, they are going to send my a link to login their " virtual waiting room" for my 4:30 appointment.


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## alida

I had a specialist appt in March to simply go over some blood work. We did it over the phone, and the Dr said she planned to do more phone consults in the future for patients like me with simple followups. That phone consult saved me a 3 hour round trip so I was happy. I did have to get blood work done, but that I can and did do at a clinic close to home. 
As it happens this was our third followup and I don't need to see her again. Also a bonus.


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## Danaus29

Hubby's doctor did not ask if he wanted to do a telehealth visit. His was a 6 month blood pressure visit.


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## Smakybiba

In fact, this is one of today's problems in medicine, incredible queues that you have to sign up for months in advance, and it's not a fact that you will get to the doctor in the end. How can this be resolved? First, of course, you need to increase the number of hospitals and clinics, as well as medical schools such as Ultimate Guide to Caribbean Medical Schools. Then we will get a sufficient number of highly qualified doctors who will work in different clinics, where there are no queues for months, and everyone can come and make an appointment if he needs prompt treatment.


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## weaselfire

You realize you replied to a two year old thread from early in Covid, right? 

Jeff


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