April 22, 2005

  • It's deplorable, that's what
    it is; i.e. the insurance-company-motivated tendency to release people
    from the hospital the same day as surgery is performed.

    My nephew, Justin, had his shoulder worked on this morning.  Dad
    called and said he's fine, but in a great deal of pain.  The
    anesthesiologist (sp?) is still with him, trying to alleviate it.

    But as Justin's in one of those surgical clinics, home he goes this evening, no matter how he feels. 

    Ludicrous!  Used to be this would keep him in the hospital at
    least 3-4 days.  Now one gets the boot as soon as you're awake, it
    seems.

    I hate this modern world of insurance-driven medicine. 

Comments (4)

  • In this case it does seem to be pushing things a bit.  In alot of other cases, though, I wonder if it isn't more restful to be at home in your own bed getting the rest that you need rather than having nurses prodding you and nopise all night.  I remember when I had Ian and Meg I could hardly get a wink of sleep for all the nightlong noise and the unfamiliarity of the place.

  • I guess it depends on the situation. If you have a family to go home to that can help take care of you, then it might be positive. If you have a family to go home to that is demanding enough (even unintentionally) to disturb your rest, it could be negative. And of course if you have no one to go home to, or no one able to help, then it can be bad if you can't easily find someone willing to help out a LOT.

    The thing is, Anne, if the insurance company wasn't paying for it and therefore determining what they're willing to pay, I'm not sure Justin would be willing/able to pony up the cost of another night in the hospital either. It's a vicious cycle and quite a dilemma.

  • Used to be one both had insurance PLUS got to stay an appropriate length of time in the hospital.

    You young'uns don't realize - and how could you? - just how much it's changed since I was your age.

    And Eleanor, what you say may be true in some cases, but do you really think that's the motivation for patients being ejected so rapidly? The insurance companies are concerned about our rest?

    A friend of Kirstin's MIL had to have a double mastectomy a few years ago.

    Outpatient. Can you IMAGINE? =:^o

  • Anne, I realize that used to be the case, but hospital stays have gotten more expensive due to technology and other factors, plus there are more pressures on the insurance system (people living longer, people thinking they themselves shouldn't have to pay for their yearly physicals and routine visits but rather the big amorphous "they" should, etc.)

    The point is, someone has to pay for it, right? I'm not saying I'm happy for Justin, I'm just trying to figure out how it could be otherwise.

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