Laughable health system

corvus4906

So I broke my collarbone last week on holidays in Austria. I was in a local medical center within 30 minutes of it happening, had a 20 minute wait (during which they gave me a painkiller without asking for it even) I was X-rayed in the clinic and told it was broken.
Then the Doctor assessed me, told me the options (surgery if I really wanted a metal pin to fuse the bone together quickly, or the more common sling and figure 8 bandage.)
Looking at online sample fractures mine really wasn't that bad compared as the bones aren't displaced by much at all. The Austrian doc advised to get a follow up x-Ray in a week in Ireland. I was out the door within an hour.

So here I am a week later and against my better judgement I go to see a GP and start what I know will be a drawn out expensive process.

I was told the Smithfield Clinic did X-rays and were pretty quick and painless... so I looked on their site and saw it's 100€ walk-in or free with a referral note. I called Smithfield to confirm this and all checked out.

I went to my GP for a referral letter, and She hadn't heard of the Smithfield clinic... so she checked their website and told me they may not have an orthopedic professional that can assess the X-rays they would do, or give proper advice. (I think this is Ridiculous considering it's an x-ray clinic....you'd think someone should know about broken bones.)

The GP was right too! ...you need to then go to the Mater fracture Clinic to have someone in Orthopedics review your x-ray after your potential 10+ hour wait. (You cant just email on the xray )

Receptionist in Smithfield clinic said the following gems:
-"I don't think we can do collarbones"
-"We're more for sprains etc"
-"We can tell you if you have a broken wrist or leg"
She knew absolutely nothing. GP was giving out to them over the phone about what their website says they do:
" The Mater Smithfield Rapid Injury Clinic offers assessment and treatment to anyone who has sustained an injury " and in their "Conditions Treated" section of website 'Collarbone' is listed.

Later I was wondering if I would get a copy of x-rays myself so I rang Smithfield later to ask, again receptionist didn't know. Eventually learned that they must send the x-rays back to GP from which I can visit again. Costing another GP visit. This is just madness! Firstly why doesn't the Smightfield Clinic have Orthopedic specialists, secondly why must a patient be there in person to wait a potential full day in the Mater Fracture Clinic when an email would suffice, thirdly why would I need go back to my GP to have her give me my X-Rays, fourthly Smithfields reception were incompetent, fifthly Smithfields website is completely conflicting with what they say over the phone.


Another note which is funny: just checked my company's VHI for which it's 2k a year and the cover is appalling.

This poor level of service just entices me to leave it all and cross fingers it heals well

Vorsprung

I hope you've put all this in an email to the clinic.

his_dudeness

corvus4906 wrote: »

Firstly why doesn't the Smightfield Clinic have Orthopedic specialists,

In fairness, the website does say that there is only emergency doctors working there.

corvus4906 wrote: »

secondly why must a patient be there in person to wait a potential full day in the Mater Fracture Clinic when an email would suffice,

An email wouldn't suffice. The doctor would need to perform a clinical examination on you and interpret the x-ray with those findings in mind. Doctors treat patients, not xrays.