Quote:
Originally Posted by dbussone
CF - To counter the Hospitalist trend, Medicare is providing financial incentives for your primary care physician to oversee your hospital care. My physician does this. However, he or she must have privileges as a medical staff member.
A couple of additional points: 1) a hospital cannot force a particular physician on you & 2) it is your right as a patient to select the physicians who care for you. Having said this, in an emergency situation you most likely will be cared for by the specialist on call (cardiologist, etc.) if you present to the ER.
|
DB, is there still such a thing as a patient advocate in every hospital? Sometimes even knowing your rights still can't make them be upheld. There are lots of ways around that, such as the hospital personnel saying things like I don't know the answer, The doctor who ordered that is not here right now, We'll have to See, etc. A person in the emergency room doesn't necessarily have the stamina to stand up for himself. It used to be you could ask for a patient advocate, at least in my former area of the country.
Just wondering, for future reference. I seem to remember you have experience with hospitals.