I've always been a type "A" personality; yes shocker, I totally admit it. I may not be obsessive compulsive about things but I am so type A and this week, with work, I was soooo done! For those of you who don't know, I'm a physical therapist; I work in a private outpatient/sports medicine clinic. Since graduating HS, I knew this is what I wanted to do..I wanted to help people get better and back to their lifestyles. Over the past few months, I have grown increasingly bitter toward my job; never my patients ( I love all my patients, except a few weirdos) but toward the insurance companies and my boss.
Healthcare is a tough business to work in since we are basically regulated by a bunch of money hunger insurance companies who decrease our reimbursement, make us justify to their employees, many of them with no medical background, why my patients need my continued care; I mean we really need to make things simple stupid or we get phone calls asking what we are trying to say. On top of that, many patients copays are high, approximately $30-$40 per visit; now imagine a post op patient who's dr recommends 3x per week for 4 weeks...you do the math. So because copays are high, patients come in less frequently; the economy doesn't allow patients to be spending $120 per week to get better; so when less patients come through the door, we bill out less...and because the insurance companies reduces reimbursement, we make less money...when we make less money and there is a bottom line to achieve, your boss expects you to see more patients in an 8 hour day. So instead of seeing 2 patients an hour, you are up to 3, possibly 4 an hour. So then as a result, you have less time per patient, which really doesn't equal quality of care, it's more about quantity. Believe me, it's not that I don't like to work; I just find the whole system a little odd. And I'm not trying to say that I'm underpaid or that I want a six figure salary for what I do; I just want patients to get what they deserve and what I feel is right for me.
Then their is my boss...I go beyond my 7-2 or 10-7 schedule; I've been opening up a few days a week to get kids in after school since I'm the only therapist on after 3 pm 3 x per week. She is sometimes unwilling to do this and often tried to squeeze them in on my schedule. Most nights, I'm there until 8:30 just completing paperwork from the day. I can go into more but it's not really worth it...
So I've reached a crossroad...the limitation in patient interaction on the outpatient level has really made me start to question if this is the field for me. I personally do not think I'm a great clinician; I'm average and for some strange reason, my patients love me. Maybe I'd do better on an orthopedic floor in the hospital but then I have to deal with puke, poop and peep and I really don't want to do that until I have a baby. Maybe homecare, who knows; but I think it's time for a change; I don't think I'm ready for a complete career change; I would totally hate that! I already look @ my student loan payment and can't imagine it going up. But I think it's time to dust off the resume and see what else I can do...
15 years ago
2 comments:
Oy, such deep thoughts for a fresh blog site!
haha
Boy Matt knows how to pick a smart lady, it sounds like, from my "sagely wisdom" of 38 years that you are asking all the right questions. and what is promising is that your patients love you. More and more I am confident in saying its all about the people skills. Look at me, I am a computer support specialist with a degree in higher education! When I was hired, I was picked over several other much more qualified computer nerds because the committee specifically said they wanted someone who could fix the machines AND be bale to help the staff understand what had happened. Since I had been a teacher they chose me. Sweeet. ha
You are wise in sizing up your situation early on in your career, though you might want to think about other alternatives like you are doing now as opposed to figuring the career is not right for you. If you love your actual work and the patients love you, I'd say right career / wrong situation.
As far as insurance companies etc yikes, we have a lot of messes in this country and that is just one of the many! It always reminds me of Bono singing "The rich stay healthy and the sick stay poor."
Heres hopin America can get its s**t together and get on the right track.
Okay I feel a rant coming on so I better stop now.
As far as your job, trust your feelings Luke, use the force.
Eric,
we need to chat more often! Thank you for the void of confidence that I'm not a loony; I may actually grow a set and go into work to talk to my boss and let her know about my concerns...
keep you posted!
tell everyone i said hello!!!
Post a Comment