Share your ideas
There's a million ways to make medicine better and we want to hear them all. From the political arena of health care reform, to the personal world of what you want and need medicine to be, Share Your Ideas is where you talk and we listen. So, if you have an idea, a question, or advice on what the world of medicine needs to do in order to be better, please share it. And check back often to see if it becomes reality.
July 21, 2010
Craig Stevens | The movement to back off prostate cancer screenings to avoid being overly aggressive in treatment concerns me. I get that there are times when it might be wiser to avoid treatment, especially when age is a consideration, but I really don't understand taking a stance to discourage younger men (in their 40s) from monitoring their prostate health and giving themselves the best chance of catching it early. more >>> |
| A friend of mine just spent several days in a hospital in intense pain without a diagnosis (admitted through the ER). Her primary care doc apparently no longer handles inpatient care. The hospitalist she was assigned to never visited her over the course of three or so days. There was at least one misdiagnosis that might could have been avoided. To make a long story short, it turned out okay but here's my question(s): Is the trend for internists/pcps to not follow their hospitalized patients...and do hospitalists as a rule see patients u... more >>> |
June 18, 2010
Phyllis Abbott | Suggestion about ER Billing: When a doctor tells you to go to the emergency room, that doctor's name should be listed on the insurance billing, also, the reason they sent you to the ER should also be on the insurance billing. Instead, what the insurance is reading is your diagnosis. Then they refuse payment because they say it was not an emergency. EXAMPLE: My oncologist sent me to the ER late in the night to see if I had a blood clot in my right arm because it had swollen up and she said that my chemo drugs can sometimes cause blood clots. ... more >>> |
| In Oct of 09, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Miraculously found by my yearly mammo. It was 2 cm -- very small - but I had it removed, followed by only 10 days of radiation and no chemo. Most importantly, every single peron in that hospital, from receptionists to specialists to hormone therapy were excellent. If I was nervous, they calmed me down and readily answered any and all questions. Saint Mary's also provided transportation to and from treatments, and these people were equally kind and wonderful. I had planned to keep my GP inform... more >>> |
| When a patient is in pain or really feeling poorly, why must we wait several days or even weeks to see the doctor? I realize they are busy and booked but what alternative does a sick patient have other than going to the Emergency Room and waiting for many hours and then being criticized for using the Emergency Room as a doctor's office? There must be a better way to be seen by a doctor than waiting days/weeks or the other extreme, going to the E.R. more >>> |
June 08, 2010
Lee Schultz | I was sent to Barnes Hospital in St. Louis after being seen by several doctors. The symptoms pointed to ovarian cancer, rhuematic fever and congestive heart failure and West Nile disease. Day after day I visited doctor after doctor until I went to Barnes Hospital in the middle of the night. I was admitted but my insurance was not notified, and I spent a total of 14 hours in a patient bed. During that 14 hours the only thing tested was my blood (or so I thought). At the end of the 14 hours the doctor on staff came in to tell me that my w... more >>> |
| I think the children,(6 & up,) should be able to create crafts. Create something for the nurses, ect. more >>> |
| Help Us Make It Stop!! Approved for children!! Costing us Billions!
Fluoroquinolones are currently one of the most commonly prescribed classes of antibiotics being prescribed millions of times each year. They are used to treat many types of infections such as respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, and sinus infections. Like all medications this class of antibiotics has side effects. However, what differentiates this class of antibiotics from others is that fluoroquinolones have the ability to cause severe and permanent disa... more >>> |
| I recently delivered a healthy baby boy via c-section (after laboring for 20 hours) at Progress West. The facility was nice and roomy, quiet and private. The nurses were courteous and efficient for the most part. However there were times, even on that first day of surgery, that I was left for several hours at a time without being checked on. I had to ask for everything myself - pain meds, towels, rags, more diapers/wipes. At one point, my catheter bag was completely full and my IV was empty and beeping, and I was soaking in blood (norma... more >>> |
April 23, 2010
Anita Hovis | We have had a wonderful experience at Barnes Hospital during my illness. The nurses and doctors on the neuro floor have been fabulous. Very patient and considerate and very sensitive to our needs.
It's a great feeling to know that somebody considers you more than a number when you're already feeling bad and so far away from home and your children! more >>> |
April 23, 2010
Anita Hovis | I have to be admitted every 12 weeks for an infusion, and because of the distance away from the hospital that we are as well as how sick the infusions usually make me feel, my husband always stays with me. We always request a private room so he can stay with me but very seldom ever do we get one. He usually has to sleep in the waiting room or the car if weather allows. Wouldn't it be a good idea to have a 23/24 hour stay area that are all private rooms like they have at St. Clare Hospital? more >>> |
April 16, 2010
Carole Ward | I have Chronic Kidney Disease, I have insurance, my nephrologist wishes me to have a premeptive kidney transplant. She gave me BJC's number as well as SLU. I called both, received packets from both, but, as BJC is "number 1," I chose you...had my paperwork sent in, received call from the transplant coordinator, Susan......ONLY to be called by the insurance person to inform me that BJC doesn't "work" with my insurance and maybe I need to seek out SLU...my heart is hurting as money is the issue! And you "make medicine BETTER??????? But you r... more >>> |
April 14, 2010
Claude Evans | A group in our Congress and Senate of the USA needs to say yes more often to the peoples business. This includes extended unemployment benefits, Cobra payment supplements, and the other necessities provided by our government that can effect the economic and psychological well being of individual Americans who are patients or soon to become. You, we, need to ask Congress and the Senate to Say Yes More Often..
Some in the Congress and Senate have given themselves a name that will stay for awhile. "The Party of NO" name will hurt them be... more >>> |
April 11, 2010
Lawrence Emke | My wife was in for 30+ days.
She used our WII Fit with the new "Plus" disk (games).
They are enjoyable,
You can do them in your room, so other people
do not have to see you "bald".
You can stop any time and be back in bed in a few steps.
The patient is in control.
It help get her regain some of her strength.
The nurses that it was a good it idea. more >>> |
April 11, 2010
Lawrence Emke | I stayed with my wife for 30 days in the hospital.
I do not sleep on a flat bed at home.
Consequently, I slept in the reclining chair in the room.
I understand that the chair needs to go through the
door of the room. And the limitation for space in the room.
But I felt like the chair that I used, was made for a 5' 6" person with
slim build. I was pressed into the instrument.
The "arm rests" on the chair felt like knife blades, and
cut-off the circulation in my arms. I finally took two pillows
and used them as arm pads. more >>> |
April 11, 2010
Lawrence Emke | One patient room that I visited had a TV
monitor with a VCR player. It was bolted
to the table, so that would not be stolen.
It was unplugged.
The useless machine made the table less useful
in the room. The light also bolted to the table
limited what its use.
The original chair that matched the table
was in disrepair and looked like it might
fall apart if anyone sat on it.
Replacing the the table with one that supports
a Lap-top computer would be better. And a chair
that makes it easy to sit for hours a... more >>> |
April 11, 2010
Lawrence Emke | How about an infusion pump that notifies the nurse directly
instead of waking the patient from sleep.
The patient can't fix the situation. Why are
you waking them up from sleep? more >>> |
April 06, 2010
Dawn Jones | ER wait time has been a problem for years. I would hate to see how our ER system would handle an epidemic or mass casualty when you wait for hours for an X-ray currently. I wish that the hospitals would hire a few PAs and NPs, put in 20 mini exam rooms and crank through the sore throat, ear ache, pregnancy test nonsense. Then, I wouldn't have had to have the guy sitting next to me with chest pain fall over dead in the ER. (By the way, that really happened.) more >>> |
March 23, 2010
agnes uhls | When accompanying friends and family to hospital, I would say that always there is an intake where the patient is to recount the diagnoses, medications and past history over and over again. When one is sick or is accompanied by someone who is not aware of everything, many important parts of the history can be missed and/or not recorded.
This is dangerous and can be easily rectified by the electronic medical record. The patient's total sum of diagnoses, medications (listed by date of prescription), and past history by date need to be a... more >>> |
March 19, 2010
Rebecca Morrow | Doctor Waits
I had an appointment today at 8.30, and knowing that I have new insurance, I made sure that I got there a little early so I could fill out any paper work. Well, that was a fine and dandy decision, had it actually worked.
First, it took them about 30 to 45 minutes to get my card back to me. Then I sat and waited some more. Then, I was kindly escorted back to one of the rooms where I sat and waited for another 20 minutes before someone came in and told me that I needed to wear some shorts. Ok, fine, I put on the little blu... more >>> |
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