Quote:
Originally Posted by belly_button_biter
I stepped on a nail a while ago and it has been over 20 years since my last tetanus shot. This event lead to my first experience with the Lakes Region Medical services. I'm not insured.
I know that there is a lot of hoopla around health care right now but I don't know anything about the specifics for any of the bills. I hope that they are doing something to address the problem I encountered.
I knew I needed a tetanus shot so I called the hospital. I was told that I needed to go to the emergency room. I responded that I had a window of three days to get the shot so ER care was not necessary. They told me that this is the only way I can get a shot without a primary care physician. When I suggested that their policy would cause me to incur additional and unnecessary fees the person on the phone all but stated that this is how they make money. A $15 shot turns into a $250 ER visit. That just does not seem right. If I can get a flu shot at a drug store why can't I get a Tetanus shot at the drug store?
Today I visited one of the Local Health Clinics. I hoped to leave some blood behind to have the lab test it for Lyme disease (I think I got bit by a tick on the golf course last year). They told me that they would not do the lab work without a request from a physician. When I told them that I did not have a physician they quickly started referring doctors from their network. I made mention of the thoughts I was left with after the first event and asked for an independent physician. The receptionist refused to share the name of any who were not part of their network.
It seems to me that these policies are intended to generate revenue for the system and not care for the patient. What ever happen to the Hippocratic Oath?
Does anyone know of a good doctor around here?
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Welcome to the Lakes Region system where it is Live Free or Die. LRGH would probably just as well have you die, and you will probably hear many stories about them and how people went in for a simple operation and later died. Their Fast Track and ER are really the only money makers for them, but most without insurance cannot pay their outrageous rates, so they end up just not paying. I guess their goal is to have a percentage of those hopefully pay and the rest they will mark as bad debt. I would recommend you look at Concord Hospital for most health care, and use LRGH for only for emergencies, and by all means if you are having chest pains, stay away from LRGH!