Quote (Giannis @ Jun 26 2020 12:03am)
I've heard about racism within the healthcare system and honestly just am completely ignorant to what goes on. In Wisconsin I know that Badger care is available if you don't get good health insurance from an employer. Badger care is pretty affordable, I was on it myself when I worked under the full-time hour designation for health coverage.
What are some of the things you could speak to that are different between suburban health care and inner city?
Well, in terms of treating someone with lower quality insurance (Medicaid), as a PT you're not allowed to do anything with them the first visit other than evaluating them. I literally have to tell someone that I know what's wrong with them but can't tell them how to fix it or give them treatment until I send my notes through insurance and then they approve visits. AKA wasting a week plus letting them suffer longer, be out of work longer, etc. when most claims are accepted (the number is a guess but I'd say 99% are approved)
The point I was getting at though is that the inner city clinic I was at was the least funded through reimbursement of insurance out of every other clinic, which means in order for the clinic to perform they need to overschedule which leads to decreased care. I would be treating patients in the clinic who had been there for a year plus for a problem that at most should have taken a few months and it's because why fix someone who keeps bringing you income. The worst I had to deal with was 4 patients scheduled at the same time which is literally impossible to provide proper care.
Also, the number of patients that came in with a ridiculous history of surgeries. Some people would be like yeah I've had five back surgeries, two neck surgeries, etc. and in my head, I'm sitting there crying because it's the system taking advantage of them for their money when a conservative treatment like PT would have cost them less and given them a better quality of life post-treatment. Instead, they now have chronic pain preventing them from work, sleeping, avoiding pain pills, etc. and it's a vicious cycle.
It was very clear from my clincials and their locations/patient population that the system takes advantage of the uneducated and poor because they can get away with it and as a PT it breaks my heart to see someone come in with chronic pain because they have a metal plate in their back. I can more than likely fix a muscular or neuro problem but I can't take back metal being put in you.
I could go on for days but the reality is that the current system isn't working and it's a damn shame to see it firsthand as a provider and as a patient myself.
Got kind of deep so how about them pelicans strength of schedule?
