Was my GP being rude or am I just overreacting?

[Ozbarbie]

Hi all!!!

It's been bugging me for a couple of days. I went to my usual GP for a follow up appointment as I've have been quite ill over winter. We usually have a good rapport (or so I thought). There were a couple of issues to discuss which was listening to my chest, recurrent uti and a repeat script. I didn't think these were too major and a 15 minute appointment would be satisfactory.

Now this doctor is very popular and she mostly ALWAYS runs 20-30 mins late. It is a very expensive private clinic and is $90 for a consult in which I barely get back anything from Medicare here in Australia. I don't mind paying this money because she is an excellent doctor and it's worth the time and travel.

So I get called in my my appointment which was originally at 9.45am at 10.10am. We then start discussing my issues (she talks a lot and explains everything in detail). We discuss the first 2 and then I ask for a repeat script as I'm running out of medicine which I need. She then gets funny on me and asked me what the time was (it's now 10.25am) and then says she only has a 10 min consult and 5 mins to write up her clinical notes and now she will run late? I was a bit taken aback, I didn't think I was being demanding, I don't usually discuss more than issue at one given time and I'm quite aware of the surgery's policy on issues (no more than 3 to be discussed in a 15 min consult).

I apologised to her but I have felt quite cross afterwards because I felt it was a bit unfair and considering I'm paying good money for her time.

Was she just having an off day? I really can't work it out. It's taken me so long to find a good GP, I don't want to change to another again. I don't want to make a complaint (I don't have the time or energy).

I've had it with the locum GP in the UK.

I went in (I go about twice a year, if that) for a repeat prescription, and then said "oh, and just a quickie" (It was literally to ask if I should try taking medicine X OTC for a very minor thing) and he snapped at me "there's no such thing as a quickie, if you want to ask 2 things, you make 2 appointments"

She’s probably been pulled up on her time management and has been told to strictly stick to 3 issues and less than 15 minutes unless life threatening.
Sorry you felt short changed but if $90 is for 15 minutes that’s what you get. It’s the same in the UK but we get 10 minutes for 1 issue only.
The GPS don’t like it but given their workload they don’t have much choice.

She was definitely rude btw.

Jellycatspyjamas...

Eh? No it's a standard 15 minute appointment but she likes to do the consult in 10 minutes and write her notes up for 5 mins. So 15 minute consult in total. A 15 minute appointment is $90. This is what I booked. And my appointment took 15 minutes.

A double appointment 30 mins would cost me $180.

Speedbirdfoxtrot...

You sound very level headed thank you!!! Yes this is exactly what I think I will do,

Haha I'm sure you can google Australian healthcare system for some more info but I'm sure it would send you to sleep!

Yes we have to pay for everything here. We are bit like America but not as bad, where our medical insurance isn't quite as extortionate but still very expensive!

gamerwidow...

For sure, and yes I think she has because she already had been told she had patients complain as they could never get in to see her, so has had to free up some emergency time each day, so patients can ring at 8am to get a time.

Bookedmeonthesudexpress...

Omg that is terrible!!!!

Yes we have to pay for everything here. We are bit like America but not as bad, where our medical insurance isn't quite as extortionate but still very expensive!

Huh? You don't need private health insurance in Australia unless you have very specific ongoing medical problems. I've lived in Australia for 14 years and never had private health insurance and never had to pay anything for healthcare. Medicare is pretty much the same as the NHS with similar waiting times for some procedures. Private health insurance in Australia is a con, even with it you still have out of pocket expenses that you would never incur under the Medicare scheme. Granted you may live in an area that has few bulk-billing options but to say you need private health cover in Australia isn't exactly true.

or just go to a bulk billing GP.
Then it is not as expensive and weirdly they seem more efficient

I think you should ask this in an Australian forum.
What relevance is it that NHS appointments are 10 minutes only and 1 problem only. That's a terrible rule because the NHS is struggling. It's of no importance to someone in the private system in another country.

Can't you find a doctor that you trust and who also bulk bills? I know the number is probably decreasing, but there seem to be plenty of doctors near me who are ethically committed to doing so, and are actually excellent doctors. I know mine is - and he does things like leave a few vacant appointments each day for emergencies and also does home visits when necessary.

The gap payment when I have a six monthly visit to my specialist is probably no more than $90.

Ask around. You'll find someone.

Scotinexile

Yes I know what you're saying, but it's better for us to have private health instead of paying a huge medicare levy. It's a personal choice really and my choice is to go private and I wouldn't say it's true that you only need it for ongoing specific health problems. I use it for all sorts of things like optical, physio etc etc. Plus I would like to chose what specialist to go with and have a choice, in which you can't do that in the public health system.
I feel that the public health system in Australia should be limited to people who can't afford it and who are on a health care card/pension. As middle to high income earners, I do not have a problem paying for my health. Why would I go public when there are other peope who desperately need that healthcare?
Happy to discuss with you further if you like but my question wasn't really a debate about private health insurance.

Having lived with private healthcare only for nearly 30 years I'd say she was being very rude.
Never have I ever had a doctor say such a thing. Most people have no idea how long a visit will take. As a nurse even I didn't really know, my doctors knew there would be some who go over, and others who would be fast in and out to make up for it. I've sat an waited over an hour for a scheduled visit, they appologise but there is nothing they can do about it, it is what it is.
Sounds like she's getting one enormous head knwing that peole will travel to her as she has a good reputation.

Troels..

Yes I agree, and I always figure that GP's make up the time throughout the day with cancellations and very quick appointments (medical certificates) meh, it's crazy.

I also live in Australia and see a private non bulk billing gp (inner Sydney). I do think 3 separate issues is too many for 1 standard appointment. For 2 issues I'd make a standard appointment but for 3 I'd book a long one. You should be getting $36ish back from Medicare for a standard consult, and around $71 back for a long consult?

Regarding the healthcare system here, it is different to the NHS, with which I had a lot of experience during my many years in the UK, and yes it can definitely involve far more out of pocket costs but having experienced the nhs delays, incredibly slow path to diagnoses, failure to get through specialist wait lists after 9 months, low availability of allied health care etc I don't think the nhs is better... it's just free at point of delivery and so expectations are different. We don't have private medical insurance here in Aus (2 children plus me and dh) and have always had excellent care in public hospitals, including maternity care, birth, emergency surgery and paediatric neurology in hospital. We earn over the Medicare Levy Surcharge amount but after looking at what health insurers would actually cover decided it was not worth it for us right now; I have several family members who are doctors, nurses or midwives and their collective view was private health is nice to have but certainly not vital and for any serious health issue affecting children (such as the neuromuscular condition my son was once suspected of having) you definitely want to go public. It's certainly not essential to have insurance to receive good care.

It’s not true that you have to pay for everything in Australia and most people don’t have private cover. There’s a fully functional public hospital system for inpatients and outpatients.

You do have to pay for GPs and scripts although there are concessions for low income earners and people with chronic health conditions. Child health checks and vaccinations etc are free.

You don’t use your private health cover for seeing specialists privately, only if you choose to have treatment in a private hospital. For many people private cover is probably a waste of money but is useful for things where there’s a huge public waiting list, like ENT procedures. The wait list for T and As and grommets can be months and months in public, versus a few weeks in private. Lots of people without private cover see a private specialist as an outpatient and are happy to pay to ensure they see the same person every time. There’s good communication between public and private specialties.

I like it, even though I was sceptical at first. The private specialists and hospitals do take the pressure off the public system, IMO. It’s nothing like the US system and unlike the NHS the politicians don’t seem to be hell-bent on deliberately sabotaging it by systemic underfunding.

Speed it's not as bad as it sounds actually. I'm from the UK but live here in Australia. We don't get bulk billed...all it means is that they charge you for the appointment, then immediately pay it back to you. Silly I know.

If you're on a seriously low income, there's help available. For example, glasses for children etc.

She clearly had time to spare with other patients as you were called in 25 minutes late. I would be pissed off and next time I would say so.

I’m a GP in the UK and this attitude is a real problem. I’m not running late because I’ve been having a nice chat and a cuppa with a favourite patient - it’s because an earlier patient has been unwell, late, demanding to discuss big list of problems etc - when I asked someone to rebook to discuss problem number 4 and 5 i was told they’d be passing my name on to their family so they knew who to sue when they die. I cannot safely assess, manage and document 5 problems in 10 minutes - I’m not going to do my best work in 2 minutes per problem. It’s a big part of why I’m plannning my escape route ASAP.

Doctors are people too. If that's your only complaint, just let it go.

I should have read the full thread before respond, but see my above post.

@Ozbarbie:There is a public health system but waiting lists are long and there are bulk billed doctors (where you don't have to pay for the consult) but these are few and far between and quality of care is questionable.

We will have to agree to differ. I have never had a problem finding good quality bulk billing doctors who don't hurry you out. Friends who live in various parts of the city have the same experience.The quality of care may be questionable if you choose a 24 hour medical centre where they are constantly changing doctors.

Additionally I've never had to wait more than four weeks for an initial specialist appointment, usually less than that, and I'm sure it would be expedited if my GP felt it was necessary.

Yes we have to pay for everything here. We are bit like America but not as bad, where our medical insurance isn't quite as extortionate but still very expensive!

That is just not correct. I have have had frequent MRI, CT scans, three monthly blood test and many X-Rays. All have been a no cost to me. My GP or specialist gives me a referral, I go the the pathology or imaging centre (which are all over the place), show my Medicare Card and pay nothing. Generally I don't have to make an appointment except occasionally for imaging.

I recently had 5 nights in a public hospital, and entered through A&E. I had numerous tests, X-rays, scans and visits from my specialist and a physio. The cost to me: nothing.The only thing my private health cover was needed for was for TV and car parking.

If they say it's ok to issue a repeat prescription, they will do but for a fee of $40 (25 pounds) sorry don't have a pound sign on keyboard!

That may be your experience, but again, not mine. My bulk billing GP refills my prescriptions every 5/6 months and does a quick check of my BP and any concerns I have with medication or anything else. The cost: nothing.

You may have worked in health care for 20 years, but it sounds as if you need to do a bit of basic research. However, maybe it's easier for you to pay over the odds for a brusque doctor if you generally trust her. Just don't claim to have no choice, because that is not accurate.

She was probably reprimanded by the practice owners. Those kinds of waits are considered poor form in Australia especially if you are charging that much.

I also live in an expensive part of Sydney, the costs are similar for apts but a repeat script can almost always be done over the phone and they charge a $15 admin fee. I've used this service a number of times.

Your experience doesn't sound great, it seems maybe she is dealing with management telling her to tighten up her apt times and she is finding it difficult, it doesn't sound like it was your fault at all.

@ScotInExile I'm Australian. Of all of the families I knew (many had several doctors in them) only two went without insurance, they were cheap in general though. You have to understand that the reason why state healthcare is ok (unlike the NHS) is because Australians don't take advantage of it. Paying your way is part of Australian culture. Private healthcare is a part of that.

www.canstar.com.au/health-insurance/who-has-health-insurance/

Only 45.6 percent of Australians have private hospital cover though and it certainly doesn’t mean that people cant access public hospital services as well.

OP - it sounds to me that yes, the GP was being a bit rude. But if she's as good as you say, then maybe just brush this one off as her having a bad day - I don't think it's worth losing a good GP over.

Not as bad as the GP I had where after months of having symptoms of anxiety and depression I plucked up the courage to try and get some help, only to be told by him that I should lose weight and get myself a boyfriend......