Posted on Dec 22, 2023
More patients are losing their doctors – and their trust in the primary care system
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https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/12/22/ [login to see] /more-patients-are-losing-their-doctors-and-their-trust-in-the-primary-care-syste
First, her favorite doctor in Providence, R.I. retired. Then her other doctor, at a health center a few miles away, left the practice. Now, Piedad Fred has developed a new chronic condition: distrust in the American medical system.
"I don't know,'' she said, eyes filling up. "To go to a doctor that doesn't know who you are? That doesn't know what allergies you have, the medicines that make you feel bad? It's difficult...I know that I feel cheated, sad, and like I have my hands tied.''
First, her favorite doctor in Providence, R.I. retired. Then her other doctor, at a health center a few miles away, left the practice. Now, Piedad Fred has developed a new chronic condition: distrust in the American medical system.
"I don't know,'' she said, eyes filling up. "To go to a doctor that doesn't know who you are? That doesn't know what allergies you have, the medicines that make you feel bad? It's difficult...I know that I feel cheated, sad, and like I have my hands tied.''
More patients are losing their doctors – and their trust in the primary care system
Posted from npr.org
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Posted 4 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."A primary loss of trust
When that relationship is broken, patients can lose trust in their health care providers.
That's how it felt to Piedad Fred, the Columbian immigrant who stopped getting vaccinated.
Fred used to go to a community health center in Rhode Island, but accessing care there began to feel really frustrating.
She described making repeated phone calls for a same-day appointment, only to be told that none were available, try again tomorrow.
She recalled how after one visit, one of her prescriptions never made it to the pharmacy.
And there was another time when she waited 40 minutes in the exam room to consult with a physician assistant — who then said she couldn't give her a cortisone shot for her knee, like her doctor used to do.
Fred says that she won't be going back.
So what will she do the next time she gets sick or injured and needs medical care?
"Bueno, será ir a un hospital."
"Well, I'll be going to a hospital."
But experts warn that more people crowding into hospital emergency rooms will only further strain on the health system, and the people who work there.
This story comes from NPR's health reporting partnership with The Public's Radio and KFF Health News."
..."A primary loss of trust
When that relationship is broken, patients can lose trust in their health care providers.
That's how it felt to Piedad Fred, the Columbian immigrant who stopped getting vaccinated.
Fred used to go to a community health center in Rhode Island, but accessing care there began to feel really frustrating.
She described making repeated phone calls for a same-day appointment, only to be told that none were available, try again tomorrow.
She recalled how after one visit, one of her prescriptions never made it to the pharmacy.
And there was another time when she waited 40 minutes in the exam room to consult with a physician assistant — who then said she couldn't give her a cortisone shot for her knee, like her doctor used to do.
Fred says that she won't be going back.
So what will she do the next time she gets sick or injured and needs medical care?
"Bueno, será ir a un hospital."
"Well, I'll be going to a hospital."
But experts warn that more people crowding into hospital emergency rooms will only further strain on the health system, and the people who work there.
This story comes from NPR's health reporting partnership with The Public's Radio and KFF Health News."
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