Intelligent Doctors do exist

I took a stab at the phone book and called a pulmonologist because my primary care doc, and the rt know nothing about cpap and I was fed up with the whole thing. He looked at the sleep study, told me I wasn't actually asleep long enough to get an accurate titration, and he could tell by looking at me that things aren't right. I looked exhausted. He is ordering another sleep study and then wants to see me a week afterwards. He also said that my dme is useless. (won't name them but it starts with an A) Hallelujah. Somebody who knows what he's doing.

What I don't understand is HOW you got into see him without a referral - or is that now possible in the U.S? Wow!

Sounds promising! I don't mean to toss water on your parade ... but he is going to benefit from this additional titration study so ... good luck. I hope this sleep doc really is as good as you are expecting him to be!!!

Oh yeah, there are still insurances and doctors in the USA who don't require a referral for an appointment!! Thank goodness!

Does anybody here believe that a 14 minute non-rem study is adequate? I say you go girl! Also I agree that the DME whose name begins with a "A" is worthless.

Julie wrote:What I don't understand is HOW you got into see him without a referral - or is that now possible in the U.S?

That's one of the best things about the US health care system. Here in Canada you are sort of trapped if you have a GP that's not very good because all referrals must go though him/her. Plus since you can't just make any appointment with any doctor getting a second option can be hard/impossible.

jskinner wrote: That's one of the best things about the US health care system. Here in Canada you are sort of trapped if you have a GP that's not very good because all referrals must go though him/her. Plus since you can't just make any appointment with any doctor getting a second option can be hard/impossible.

While few would argue that our healthcare system in the US could use improvements, thanks for pointing out that freedom to choose your doctors has a price. Do we really want the government to control our healthcare system (as some politicians think would be best)? I don't have all the answers, but I try to remember that no system is perfect!

Bluebonnet_Gal wrote: ..... I don't have all the answers, but I try to remember that no system is perfect!

Well BBG, you have it figured out.

Some want to build a utopia. An "ideal" health care system is part of this utopia.

Then there are those who have their feet grounded in reality and know that attempts at utopia have always failed and will always fail. They want to implement the best system not the "perfect" system.

Let individuals be free to spend their money as they see fit and let individuals be free to earn their money as they see fit. Some will succeed and some will fail. But overall the two parties get together in imperfect ways and build the best societies, the best economies and the best health care systems.

Hi again - it's not that we can't 'choose' our docs, but that we have to first be referred by another doc (usually the GP - who needs no referral), but can request which specialist (by name, not specialty) we want if we think they're the 'right' one (word of mouth), or have a chance of seeing them within a reasonable period of time.

Everyone's insurance plan is different. In my case, I can choose my own docs, but my PCP is constrained by her medical group to only refer me to docs within her own organizational umbrella. So, if I go through her, she'll only refer me to another "MMC" doc. Which for the most part is fine, since MMC is pretty huge out here, and she usually does a good job picking docs for me. But not in all cases. I have self-referred to some other docs, and had no problems as long as my insurance has a relationship with them.

Good luck with your Pulmonologist!!!!

Cheers,
B.