Doctors' Group Leaves Secret Shoppers in the Waiting Room

Wrong remedy

Medicine is a dumb place for secret shoppers. Because if you notify the providers in advance, they are not "secret". Further, they are not "sick", so what's the point?

Measuring the courtesy of the desk nurse?

The best remedy is more doctors---to create competition for those already in practice---and to actually treat the patients. We have a shortage now of primary care physicians needed for "universal" care. The answer, believe it or not, is fast-tracking doctors to licensure, some with LESS training and hurdles, not more.

If you don't do this, a smaller number of "doctors" will keep protecting their six (or seven) figures while you, the patient, will be provided a corporate-chain nurse practitioner with second-class decision and prescribing power. We're already headed there.

No place for pretense

The pretense of an undercover patient runs counter to the open and honest relationship that should exist between patients and physicians. A systematic evaluation should rely on feedback from real patients

Sounds like a student afraid of what the grade will be on his reportcard.

Doctors are way to insulated and protected as it is. To find a good one, you have to hope that one of your friends or co-workers has had a good or bad experience with whomever you are planning to see. Doctors don't want to be rated because they are afraid their patients may have a different view of what they provide than they do. Doctors have for decades shielded other bad doctors from removal out of fear of reprisals and with no regard of what havoc these 'bad apples' are unleashing on their patients. Just try to find a doctor that will give you an honest opinion of a colleague.... you will find a living, breathing dodo first... or TRex stomping up your neighborhood street. They consider themselves in a class above their patients for the most part and want patients to have what they are willing to give them.... and charge handsomely for it. I say, "Bring on the Secret Shoppers!" The more they want to resist, the more I want to find out what they are hiding.

Running out of options to protect patients

I have no problem with the idea of "secret shopper." What on Earth is the medical community afraid of? If there was more transparency in the delivery of medical care and if the state disciplinary commissions would discipline doctors who make errors, then there would be fewer medical malpractice actions and no need for covert monitoring of medical practices.

I underwent unnecessary orthopedic surgeries by an Illinois doctor (Carle Clinic Association in Urbana, Illinois) who cared more about money than medical care. (A Carle Clinic, the doctors own the HMO - hmmm, conflict of interest? Tough to expect a Carle Clinic physician to refer to outside clinic when they are "stumped" if the patient is a member of the HMO owned by the physician!)!

I have spent the last eight years having a surgeon at Duke University Medical repair and correct the damage caused by the Illinois surgeon. I am looking at surgery number 8 and I cannot walk without pain. In addition, I struggled with major depression during the period when I was treated by the Illinois surgeon.

I asked the Illinois Department of Professional Responsibility to investigate the doctor. But absolutely no investigation was undertaken. I have since learned that the Illinois Medical Society is a major contributor to the DPR.

Even though the Illinois surgeon stated (under oath) that he does not know why he performed the surgery and further states (under oath) that I talked him into doing the surgery. The surgeon also stated (under oath) that he suspects that my instability when walking (since the surgeries) is a function of my "alcohol abuse." Of course there is no evidence whatsoever of my having an alcohol problem. I very rarely drink.

I never wanted to sue any doctor. I wanted the doctor to take responsibility and be held accountable. I did not want any other patient to be hurt. Perhaps all it would have taken is the surgeon to be better educated on the procedure and indications for when to perform the procedures to tighten lateral ligaments in the ankles. Instead, the surgeon insults me (the patient) and blames me.

My Duke surgeon "does not want to get involved" in testifying against the Illinois surgeon. The Duke surgeon proclaims that he went to medical school and he just wants to practice medicine.

That is all fine and well that the physicians want to protect one another. And apparently we can trust the states will investigate and discipline doctors. But there has to be some way to protect the public.

A "secret shopper" would be a great way for the physicians to get the clue that they work for us - the public.

Can you guys imagine how much worse the delivery of medical care will be if this country is subjected to universal medical care?