Just a little anecdote I thought I’d pass along. As I’ve mentioned before I have some dentists and physicians as clients. Right now without exception all of my dentist and physician clients are unhappy, in some cases very much so. This hasn’t always been the case. It’s recent. Just the last couple of years.
My dentist clients are unhappy because they just don’t have enough business. The general description they offer is that “they’ve never seen anything like it”. They also say that every dentist they know is complaining of the same thing.
My physician clients are unhappy because a) there are structural changes going on in the practice of medicine (the description offered was “hostile takeover”); b) they spend more time doing paperwork than practicing medicine; and c) they don’t think they’re being paid enough.
I’ve heard the disgruntlement from medical personnel myself, about doing more paperwork, as well as feelings that the doctor/patient relationship has become less hands-on between the two, thus creating less satisfaction within the profession itself.
When you have big business or government take over something that was functioning on a smaller, intimate scale, everything tends to become altered into a more rote, impersonal experience. This in turn may effect the frequency of visits, as people usually seek medical services, as well as other services, more frequently when a comfort zone of trust and understanding has been established and then maintained.
My dentist clients are unhappy because they just don’t have enough business. The general description they offer is that “they’ve never seen anything like itâ€. They also say that every dentist they know is complaining of the same thing.
This is what I’ve been hearing from the dentists my wife and I have talked to locally since late 2008. There was a small surge in dental work last year, but that was primarily people finally getting work done that they had put off for years. That has apparently already died down according to my dentist.
Ice!
Good to see a post from you.
a) The big PE firms are coming and buying up stuff. They make a nice offer to the old guys running the groups. They leave with a generous separation package. Those left behind (sounds like a god book title?) work harder and get pay cuts. The other scenario is that hospitals are taking over groups, but this has been going on much longer.
b) Old complaint. However, it is certainly true that JCAHO and state inspections have gotten a lot tougher, meaning you have a lot more paperwork. I’d say about 1/4 of it is reasonable. I think it hits primary care worse than it does me.
c) Is there anyone who does? Pay should be going up for PCPs. For everyone else, it will continue to be stagnant, at best. I think it has been 7 years (6?) since my docs have seen a raise, though we are working harder. 3 years since my nurses have had a raise. I hope they realize this is probably not getting better real soon.
d) I think we already discussed this, but business is slow in medicine also. Hospitals are closing again around us.
Steve
HaHa, the chickens are coming home to roost. The docs and dentists, who have been hiding their pricing for years, practicing price discrimination, favoring insured patients and the like, are going to become gummint employees. You couldn’t find a better bunch of sleazebags to wish gummint employment on!
I’ve also noticed my dentists are starting to look a bit down in the mouth.
My wife, my children and myself all need dental work but even with insurance, which we have, a crown and root canal= $800. One bridge, out of pocket=$ 2,000. Either the cost is too high or I just do not earn enough.
By the way, if services aren’t selling, maybe you should lower the prices.
Gummin it, Gray Shambler.