[Glinda]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Also, very difficult to distinguish between an innocuous flu and the beginnings of sepsis at the best of times - teladoc I suspect would make for more misses.

The news often has examples of the times doctors missed sepsis when someone presented with flu-like symptoms but how about those people who present with severe flu and whose lives are saved by an observant emergency room doctor or nurse who recognises sepsis?

It's such a difficult thing to spot and it's one of the biggest killers.

That's the trouble with 'routine' illnesses - they're the ones schemes like this focus on as low hanging fruit but the early symptoms of a number of very serious illnesses are all but identical to the symptoms of routine illnesses.

That kind of technology can play a really important role in getting medical diagnoses to people who are unable to access healthcare providers directly - or to make follow-up care and advice easier and less reliant on one to one appointments - but there are serious dangers in using it to cut down the costs of medical attention.

On the other hand . . .

How well I remember the early diagnoses I received from Kaiser doctors in response to my complaints about a severe pinched nerve problem (shitty work space design, shitty chair, etc.). First, they suggested my numb/tingling arms and legs might be the onset of MS. Two weeks later, they thought maybe I had a brain tumor, and scheduled an MRI.

In the gap between Kaiser visits, I found an incredible chiropractor and began a series of visits that had instant positive effects. Had to pay out of pocket (Kaiser didn't believe in chiropractic back then), and it took several months and lots of visits, but the man fixed me.

"Modern medicine" (also known as "Cut it out or drug it into submission), is all too ready to jump to ridiculous conclusions and order absurdly expensive drugs, tests, or procedures to support their insurance company and Big Pharma overlords. I knew the tingling/numbness were the result of a pinched nerve in my neck. I told the doctors that the numbness/tingling disappeared whenever I stood up, stretched a bit, and sat back down with perfect posture.

But no. It's a fuckin' brain tumor. Let's just spend a zillion dollars and freak you the fuck out in the meantime, for no good reason.



Oh, and by the way, that MRI they wanted me to have? It was scheduled two months out. If I really had a brain tumor, two months might be all I had. Then, on the day of the MRI, I got a call from Kaiser asking to reschedule me as the MRI guy called in sick that day. They wanted to schedule me another two months out.

Sure. I'll get back to ya. If I'm alive then.

Bye, Felicia.


I don't know if this private health insurance scheme will work, but I hope it does. There are all kinds of "alternative" medical treatments that work perfectly well, but Modern Medicine, Big Pharma, and Big Insurance won't recognize or research them because they don't have/can't get the patent. Just ask Charlotte Figi.

Presumably, a private health insurer would investigate and utilize ALL forms of treatment that offer results, not just the restriced list of treatments that are patented, ridiculously expensive profit-makers.