I spent a lot of my youth in my Dad's car, riding with him while he made his "house calls." I knew at an early age that if Dad was not home and a call came in, I knew which basketball game he was at, but I also knew whether or not to call him. And, it was announced over the PA, "Doctor Dooley, call your office." It was customary for new Doctors just building up there practice to have the wife call around the various venues and have him paged, just to get his name out in the public.
I don't know who my Doctor is. We had gone to one Doctor for many years. If we needed him, we would call his office and make an appointment. Not sure, but I think he got fed up with the whole mess and retired. Since then, our local hospital apparently bought his practice and we have had a steady parade of Doctors, and, if you don't call them, they will call you, for some reason, but they will get you in the office on some pretense, and get you billed, for something or other.
Our last Doctor left, not sure where or why, now we have a "temporary" Doctor to call, who I think they brought out of retirement. Finally, a Doctor of my own age, and as you know, I am 80.
My wife broke her arm some time ago, they took care of her at the hospital. Then she had to go to an Orthopedic guy, who had a separate office, but also worked for the hospital. He spent no more than thirty seconds with her, enough time to say "The X-ray looks good." That cost a little over $1000.
Wouldn't you just love to have the money that Medicare gets "ripped off" for each year. My guess is you would be richer than Buffet and Gates put together.
My Dad became a Doctor because he wanted to be of service, and to heal. I have often heard him talk about the "Quality of life," how it was his calling to improve that in his patients. Now their sights are set on "Quantity of billing."
My Dad was proud to "have been" a Doctor, but he felt that many Doctors today "practice deceit."
