Book Review: "Uncaring" By Robert Pearl M.D.

 

I'm not sure if it's wise to base a change in the healthcare system solely upon a physician's advice but here we go.

Uncaring is about the health care system and everything that it faces today and in the coming days ahead especially among unchartered territory with the opiod crisis, pandemic, Covid virus, and dare I say even women's care with regard to hysterectomies.

What I can tell you having extensive knowledge on this subject matter and having just read an article about fake nursing diplomas in Florida is that our system is truly flawed to the point it's completely broken. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fake-nursing-diplomas-issued-florida-alleged-wire-fraud-scheme-justice-department/?fbclid=IwAR1iNA9nZhMMpgZ3obKBav80TLDMRB4P1aSxDqDK-4Z-2UGW2JbYbIWSCTE

Not only this but I'm seeing personally more and more less qualified individuals rather than MD/DO we have PA-C's with 2 yrs. rather than 4 required.

This would be fine for routine care but not in emergency settings or extensive care/hospice situations.
Not long ago I went to the ER for asthma/COPD/chronic bronchitis (labeled acute for over 30 yrs.) and 21 yrs pneumonia to have my lungs tested. I needed an albuterol inhaler- a basic prescription- yet, the doctor couldn't prescribe as her credentials weren't even on file yet with the state and the nurse practicioner had to sign off for an inhaler.

I had another situation in which these younger doctors treat patients poorly. So much so that they look to 'label' individuals within 5 minutes of a first meeting in their office. This is not only risky but wrong and can in many cases lead to issues for the patient especially those with mental issues.

Not just this but I've noticed a significant increase in distribution of narcotics for the most minor complaint of pain. Oxycoton, anxiety meds, and more are giving out like candy at the slightest sign and it's sad because these are heavy narcotics that shouldn't be issued unless for the most serious cases.

Furthermore, doctors simply aren't listenting to patients concerns and addressing them fully. I'm someone with a history of medical issues and have attempted to address them over the last 30 plus years but sadly if you walk into a doctor's office and they ask your medical problems and you spew off a laundry list --well, trust me the negative labels will be attached for those rushed on time and patience.

It's sad because my mother is a retired RN-OBGYN who saved my life and that of my son along with countless others. The constant worry over medical malpractice lawsuits today is hampering the efforts of our nurses. The constant need to provide patient care and HIPA laws are causing confusion among many. The monopolies in our system and the ever changing profit over people is a constant in the insurance industry.

When I read this book and the questions posed I had to chuckle. I would never be able to go into a doctor's office and ask if he participated in drug trials or whether he received kickbacks from drug companies for promotion. I'd be content if he/she simply showed an ounce of interest much less remorse.

Allow me to showcase some more personal examples. I'm prediabetic, overweight, have just overcome herniated disc extrusion w temporary paralysis in both legs after a successful hysterecomy (robotic laproscopic/bilateral salpingo oophorectomy) with all ovaries, fallopian tubes, filsher clips and more removed. I had over 40 fibroids removed, I had beginning stages of endometriosis, it was told that my uterus was so enlarged they had to rip my vagina and seucher to remove (8x normal size/2x normal weight). I was initially told I had just 4 uterine fibroids, with my heavy menses, and my microcytic hypochromic anemia requiring b12/iron injections.

Thankfully, I had a surgeon who really was fantastic but shortly after my robotic laproscopic hysterectomy he left our facility and moved. I was never notified until 2 months later. I was needless to say devastated. I had to call his new hospital to try to learn if he was on their roster. Thankfully, he was but this basic information isn't something they normally even share.

Our healthcare is so awful that I've had times were I was sent home like this past time from an ER without even knowing the full extent of my illness. February 10th 2023, my dad passed away at 418 am. I went to ER at 10am-244 pm. Discharged w/o nasal swab results via PCR as just pneumonia from chest x-ray. Upon review of my medical file online I learned I had sepsis and Covid pneumonia as well as sinus tach. 

Imagine having 3 kids as a single mom and going to ER for IV treatment and receiving nothing but a can of ginger ale after being there all day while being told you'll be provided a meal soon. Imagine reading your file online and learning nothing was correct in terms of the information or situation at hand that day. Not the family history, not past medical history, not even the current stats. I was asked upon ER entry why I didn't go to primary. I explained because I have a history of passing out/lightheadedness/dyspnea as well as history of asthma, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, copd, and more as a nonsmoker from factory work in which I breathed diesel fumes from loading docks without proper ventilation. Imagine not even getting called same day to be told you had Covid but learning about it online & getting a state text the next day.

Imagine being told you're anxious or that your hyperventilating when in reality you passed an EKG with sinus tachycardia every single hospital visit because you can't breathe. Imagine if you casually mention during said ER visit that your dad had passed and rather than treat the obvious illness with Covid Pneumonia, coughing, wheezing, dizziness, and more you instead offer anxiety meds aka zanax without doing any kind of evaluation on a first time visit within a few minutes together?
Our healthcare is not in the business to be psychologists they are in the business to be doctors and treat symptoms present not in making up symptoms for the ability to provide more meds to patients that do not need them.

Not everyone who loses a parent is anxious. Many like myself normally talk loud and if you're from NE PA you'll talk fast. This is my normal. My dad worked in the Navy during Cold War on air jets and during his end stage he was unable to hear. We had to always raise our voices with his hearing aids. Why do doctors assume without ever asking? This is my concern.

It's so sad to see how far our healthcare system has decreased and it concerns me how much worse will it get.

Being charged over $800 for a wart removal tube medication that cost $10 at CVS? Being provided care always with a PA-C without being seen by an actual Doctor of Medicine.

It's very scary as I have a son with vater syndrome. He's to have been medically disabled for life. He was physically/developmentally impaired with speech/reading comprehension yet our government SSI/SSP removed him at 18 yo. because hand-outs are seen negatively.

Lets also just say that I know someone who filed disability and couldn't get the aid not because she didn't need or qualify medically but because she owned too many assets while in extreme poverty, bankrupt, left homeless upon divorce, and without employment for nearly 20 years to raise her family.

We need immediate change especially for the impoverished dependent on Medicaid. I know personally that many times doctors would waste time in the waiting room knowing they were getting paid regardless of how long the patient stayed. I can also testify to improper procedures to treat medicaid like guinea pigs because of simply knowing they were covered financially. My biggest concern is the doctors prescribing meds without conducting evaluations, based on first time assumptions, w/o past medical history or even patients concerns, while penalizing the pharmacy for filling said prescriptions. We have an opiod crisis in our nation and doctors aren't being held accountable.

We shouldn't treat patients as mere numbers but rather as intelligent individuals with hearts of gold.
I pray this can happen in my lifetime but I'm concerned we are already too far gone to return.