Replies to '07/11 What’s Up, Doc?'

As a future Doctor, this post upsets and scares me.  First of all, if your Dr. is not listening to what you are saying, then you need to find another Dr.  The health history is one of the most important factors in making a diagnosis.  My response to you is to try an Osteopathic Physician.  Not only are they trained the same as MD, but they are also trained in Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (a type of therapy similar to Physical therapy and chiropractic care that involves no medications and can often aleviate aches and pains without medication).  Along with the training listed above, Osteopathic training specifically focuses on patient centered care and the natural balance of the human body.  Osteopathic Physicians (DO's) can do anything a regular MD can do including surgery, prescriptions, etc.  Many people may already be seeing a DO and just dont know it.  If you would like to learn more about Osteopathic Physicians, check out the American Osteopathic Association Website at : www.osteopathic.org

  As far as the charges for office visits, I do agree that they are expensive from your perspective.  From our perspective, after paying $400,000 to go to medical school you have to have a way to afford your student loan bills.  I think the solution is for the government to find a way to help medical students get through school while initiating some new healthcare assistance.  I know that when I graduate I will be paying $4000 a month in student loans, even during my residency when I will only make $37,000 a year.  Many students have to defer these loans during residency which allows them to grow to half a million dollars by the time they get their first real paycheck.  Im not saying anyone should feel sorry for us, because we made a choice.  I just wish people would understand that I have invested nearly half a million dollars in my education just so that I can serve my community as a physician.  I understand that there are HUGE problems in the healthcare system.  Half of the reason office visits are getting so expensive is because so many people dont have insurance and dont pay for thier visits.  When you work out of your own office and half of your patients have no insurance and dont pay, you cant afford to stay in practice.

   My last comment in this post is that I am totally stunned that a physician and Dr. Phil would go on national television and call a post pregnancy belly a "medical problem".  Hundreds and hundreds of us live with this every day.  We all would love to go and have it surgically removed, but there are more important things in life.  I realize that some people are uncomfortable with their bodies and if you have tons of extra money lying around, then go for it.  But I was really offended that they made a father of 4 who worked hard to support his family feel like a bad person cause he wouldnt pay $8000 for his wife to have a tummy tuck.  I come from a huge family, and I know that $ 8000 could mean years of family vacations cancelled.  It is nice that Dr. Phil paid for this woman, but I have to agree with the husband, it is not a necessary procedure, and if you are on a tight budget or have 4 kids, I think the money could be better spent.  A heart transplant is necessary, a mastectomy for a breast cancer is necessary, a tummy tuck is NOT MEDICALLY NECESSARY.