Do You Think Doctors Are Worth Their Fees?

Big Nasty · 09-03-2010 10:35PM #1

The lawyer thread kicked this one off for me. Went to a doctor about 6 weeks ago due to a mild sort of dermatitis / exscema or whatever. Prescribed me some cream and charged me €55 - fair enough.

The cream worked maybe 90% but the problem didn't disappear completely so I called the docs office and explained and asked for a prescription for more cream. The doc called me back and said I would have to come in and he would try another cream. Cool, I said, and went in after work. He had another quick gawk, less than 5 mins, and prescribed another cream saying to call him if this one didn't clear it up completely. I was sitting in the waiting room for longer than the time he examined me but he still charged me another €40! :eek:

IMO the most he should have charged me was €10 for the new prescription. I understand he probably spent seven years in college in order to practice his profession but is 5 mins consultation worth €40, i.e. €8 per minute!?!

Danbo! · 09-03-2010 10:38PM

dermatitis/exscema? Yah, sure....

alwaysadub · 09-03-2010 10:39PM

No,i think they are way over priced.
My doc is 60euro a visit-i've often only been in there less than 5minutes.
I was pretty sick a couple of years back and was at the doc every week-cost me a small fortune :mad:

Zwillinge · 09-03-2010 10:40PM

That's terrible :mad:

That happened to a guy I know, he got his regular asthma prescription, went to the chemist, but the pharmacists knew his prescription, he got the wrong one. Fair enough, he went back and the doctor ased for another €40 - €50, well he flipped at her and told her where she could F off too

Doctors are worth giong to but having to pay €60 to see one is a bit extreme :mad: And usually it's just for some antibiotics, that I don't need to be examined for!!

The_Minister · 09-03-2010 10:41PM

Keep in mind that a GP's overhead can come to more than half of the fee.

robinph · 09-03-2010 10:41PM

You should not have to pay to see a GP at the point of contact.

Tax me for it or whatever, but taking cash off me when I'm in need of help is just plain wrong.

Tails142 · 09-03-2010 10:42PM

yeah they're an absolute joke - would put you off going to the doctors in the first place.

Everyone should apply for a medical card, if you are over the threshold you can still be entitled to a GP card which would be seriously worth it

Big Nasty · 09-03-2010 10:42PM

I don't mind paying €50+ for a consultation but to go back coz the cream he gave ya in the first place didn't work and charge ya another €40 for the privilage is just taking the piss IMO.

redout · 09-03-2010 10:43PM

Doctors are rip-off merchants tbh.

I had a consult with a doctor (not a GP) before Xmas.

Lasted all but 3mins and was charged €100

Completely fcukin stunned!

EDIT: Just to add that there was 6 other people in the waiting room going in to see him after me. He must have had €700 in about 30mins

IvySlayer · 09-03-2010 10:45PM

Zwillinge wrote: »

That's terrible :mad:

That happened to a guy I know, he got his regular asthma prescription, went to the chemist, but the pharmacists knew his prescription, he got the wrong one. Fair enough, he went back and the doctor ased for another €40 - €50, well he flipped at her and told her where she could F off too

Doctors are worth giong to but having to pay €60 to see one is a bit extreme :mad: And usually it's just for some antibiotics, that I don't need to be examined for!!

Does his doctors office not have a prescription form? You fill them out for like a tenner and you get a prescription the next day

Bolag_the_2nd · 09-03-2010 10:47PM

MCMLXXV wrote: »

I don't mind paying €50+ for a consultation but to go back coz the cream he gave ya in the first place didn't work and charge ya another €40 for the privilage is just taking the piss IMO.

as in give a sample? :rolleyes:

Big Nasty · 09-03-2010 10:53PM

Bolag_the_2nd wrote: »

as in give a sample? :rolleyes:

Well done Bolag! :cool:

Zwillinge · 09-03-2010 10:56PM

IvySlayer wrote: »

Does his doctors office not have a prescription form? You fill them out for like a tenner and you get a prescription the next day

I'm not entirely sure what this is

Though it sounds handy!

Either way, he's not welcome back to that doctors office

Thoie · 09-03-2010 10:58PM

IvySlayer wrote: »

Does his doctors office not have a prescription form? You fill them out for like a tenner and you get a prescription the next day

I haven't heard of that one, but my doctor doesn't have a full time secretary.

People will be thrilled to learn that I went to my doctor a few weeks ago for a standard check-up, got a repeat prescription, paid him.

Only a week later I came down with a chest infection (completely unrelated to the previous visit) and had to go back. I jokingly said I'd hoped not to see him for another few months. He examined me, confirmed an infection, and gave me a prescription for some antibiotics. When I took out my handbag to pay him at the end, he said "let's just call it a follow up from last week" and only charged me half price, which was very nice of him.

Zwillinge, while 99% of the time you might be able to self-diagnose and be right, I feel the €60 is for the 1% of the time when you're wrong

neil_18_ · 09-03-2010 10:59PM

My doc charges me €55 for a monthly injection that takes 30seconds...

Luckily i get it for free in college now:cool:

IvySlayer · 09-03-2010 11:01PM

Zwillinge wrote: »

I'm not entirely sure what this is
Though it sounds handy!

Either way, he's not welcome back to that doctors office

Thoie wrote: »

I haven't heard of that one, but my doctor doesn't have a full time secretary.

People will be thrilled to learn that I went to my doctor a few weeks ago for a standard check-up, got a repeat prescription, paid him.

Only a week later I came down with a chest infection (completely unrelated to the previous visit) and had to go back. I jokingly said I'd hoped not to see him for another few months. He examined me, confirmed an infection, and gave me a prescription for some antibiotics. When I took out my handbag to pay him at the end, he said "let's just call it a follow up from last week" and only charged me half price, which was very nice of him.

Zwillinge, while 99% of the time you might be able to self-diagnose and be right, I feel the €60 is for the 1% of the time when you're wrong

I have asthma too. Every 6 months I need a new Ventolin prescription. Instead of making an appointment to see the doctor, I fill out a prescription form. I pay 10 euro to the secretary and I come back the next day and she gives me a fresh new prescription signed by my doctor.

I thought it was everywhere

Bolag_the_2nd · 09-03-2010 11:02PM

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Well done Bolag! :cool:

bet you smiled just a little

sending you hugs and happy thaughts MCML, im sorry

ejmaztec · 09-03-2010 11:05PM

MCMLXXV wrote: »

The lawyer thread kicked this one off for me. Went to a doctor about 6 weeks ago due to a mild sort of dermatitis / exscema or whatever. Prescribed me some cream and charged me €55 - fair enough.

The cream worked maybe 90% but the problem didn't disappear completely so I called the docs office and explained and asked for a prescription for more cream. The doc called me back and said I would have to come in and he would try another cream. Cool, I said, and went in after work. He had another quick gawk, less than 5 mins, and prescribed another cream saying to call him if this one didn't clear it up completely. I was sitting in the waiting room for longer than the time he examined me but he still charged me another €40! :eek:

IMO the most he should have charged me was €10 for the new prescription. I understand he probably spent seven years in college in order to practice his profession but is 5 mins consultation worth €40, i.e. €8 per minute!?!

Before you went to the quack, you should have visited your local pharmacist, waved your disease-ridden hands at him, and asked him what he could sell you cheap over the counter to fix the problem.

alwaysadub · 09-03-2010 11:05PM

IvySlayer wrote: »

I have asthma too. Every 6 months I need a new Ventolin prescription. Instead of making an appointment to see the doctor, I fill out a prescription form. I pay 10 euro to the secretary and I come back the next day and she gives me a fresh new prescription signed by my doctor.

I thought it was everywhere

Not any more-my uncle has a repeat prescription. My aunt rang the secretary the other week asking to fill out a new one and he'd pick it up. She was told he had to make an appointment and got charged 50odd euro for the pleasure.
My own doctors-i've one in Galway and one in Dublin-don't do it either

Thoie · 09-03-2010 11:06PM

IvySlayer wrote: »

I have asthma too. Every 6 months I need a new Ventolin prescription. Instead of making an appointment to see the doctor, I fill out a prescription form. I pay 10 euro to the secretary and I come back the next day and she gives me a fresh new prescription signed by my doctor.

I thought it was everywhere

I think you just have a nice/clued in doctor

Do you not need vaguely regular check-ups or something to ensure that the prescription is still right for you? (I don't know much about asthma, so maybe that's a dumb question).

InKonspikuou2 · 09-03-2010 11:09PM

I've had a bad run in with medical fees lately. Went to the doctor with a rash and pains in my stomach and he said it looked like something called pityriasis rosea. Gave me a prescription for some steroid cream and off i went. The cream burned like hell and made the rash worse. So i went back to him to explain and also wanted to see a dermatologist. Never told me how long they take until i got a letter a few days later. 5 months waiting list to see one in the Matter. Decided i would go private. But oh no you can't just do that. I need a referral from a doctor. So i went back down to ask for one and got charged full price. So this is 210 i have spent before getting anywhere. 50 a pop to see the doc and 60 for the useless cream. I looked on the net and pityriasis is harmless and goes away itself. It is not treated with anything. I wasn't convinced i had that so i still want to see a derm.

Go to the derm and get charged 180 for around 7 minutes. Only to be told it's not pityriasis and is most likely an allergic reaction to something. Have to pay 25 for the blood test and 35 for a histology. Need to go back in 7 days for the results. Again i have to pay for the derm. This time it's 90 and i find out i have celiacs disease. The rash was an allergy to gluten. So i had to spend 540 to find out that. The derm told me the doc should have asked if wanted a blood test in office or sent me to the Matter. If he had of done that it would have only cost me 65 at most. I'm pissed off about high fees as it is. But when it's to incompetent doctors it's a fúcking joke. I'm off Friday so i'm going to try get some of this money back somehow. Probably pointless trying though.

IvySlayer · 09-03-2010 11:11PM

Thoie wrote: »

I think you just have a nice/clued in doctor Do you not need vaguely regular check-ups or something to ensure that the prescription is still right for you? (I don't know much about asthma, so maybe that's a dumb question).

The doctor wouldn't give me something unless I needed it

sesna · 09-03-2010 11:20PM

InKonspikuou2 wrote: »

I've had a bad run in with medical fees lately. Went to the doctor with a rash and pains in my stomach and he said it looked like something called pityriasis rosea. Gave me a prescription for some steroid cream and off i went. The cream burned like hell and made the rash worse. So i went back to him to explain and also wanted to see a dermatologist. Never told me how long they take until i got a letter a few days later. 5 months waiting list to see one in the Matter. Decided i would go private. But oh no you can't just do that. I need a referral from a doctor. So i went back down to ask for one and got charged full price. So this is 210 i have spent before getting anywhere. 50 a pop to see the doc and 60 for the useless cream. I looked on the net and pityriasis is harmless and goes away itself. It is not treated with anything. I wasn't convinced i had that so i still want to see a derm.

Go to the derm and get charged 180 for around 7 minutes. Only to be told it's not pityriasis and is most likely an allergic reaction to something. Have to pay 25 for the blood test and 35 for a histology. Need to go back in 7 days for the results. Again i have to pay for the derm. This time it's 90 and i find out i have celiacs disease. The rash was an allergy to gluten. So i had to spend 540 to find out that. The derm told me the doc should have asked if wanted a blood test in office or sent me to the Matter. If he had of done that it would have only cost me 65 at most. I'm pissed off about high fees as it is. But when it's to incompetent doctors it's a fúcking joke. I'm off Friday so i'm going to try get some of this money back somehow. Probably pointless trying though.

Money well spent, you now have a diagnosis of a lifelong dietary intolerance thanks to an expert who has spent +15 years post-graduate study in his/her field. You were paying them for their expertise and time spent in obtaining their qualification, and not merely time spent with them.

I dont see how your GP is realistically supposed to send a blood sample (the cost of which you already complained about) and test for every possible virus/bacteria/inflammatory marker that may have caused a skin rash. Generally they will treat most probable cause because of cost implication (for you) of full scope of tests/examinations.

Perhaps you should try homeopathy if you have such little faith in allopathic medicine

xOxSinéadxOx · 09-03-2010 11:26PM

I don't care cos I have a GP visit card:)

robinph · 09-03-2010 11:30PM

sesna wrote: »

Money well spent, you now have a diagnosis of a lifelong dietary intolerance thanks to an expert who has spent +15 years post-graduate study in his/her field. You were paying them for their expertise and time spent in obtaining their qualification, and not merely time spent with them.

I dont see how your GP is supposed to send a blood sample (the cost of which you already complained about) and test for every possible virus/bacteria/inflammatory marker that might have caused a skin rash. Generally they will treat most probable cause because of cost implication (for you) of full scope of tests/examinations.

Perhaps you should try homeopathy if you have so little faith in allopathic medicine

I added that up as 210 wasted with the GP and then a duplicate visit with the derm(?) as well. Idealy should have been a trip to the GP and he goes "I dunno, heres a referal to the derm guy", who then does the blood test and gives the answer. Looked to be a lot of going round in circles unnessecarily to me.

But my feelings on it all is that you should never have to pay to see a GP anyway, they should be paid out of the PRSI money and not take cash directly from patients. Once you get moved up the chain I've less of an issue with money changing hands, but should definately not be at the first point of contact with the GP.

SugarHigh · 09-03-2010 11:34PM

Thoie wrote: »

I haven't heard of that one, but my doctor doesn't have a full time secretary.

People will be thrilled to learn that I went to my doctor a few weeks ago for a standard check-up, got a repeat prescription, paid him.

Only a week later I came down with a chest infection (completely unrelated to the previous visit) and had to go back. I jokingly said I'd hoped not to see him for another few months. He examined me, confirmed an infection, and gave me a prescription for some antibiotics. When I took out my handbag to pay him at the end, he said "let's just call it a follow up from last week" and only charged me half price, which was very nice of him.

Zwillinge, while 99% of the time you might be able to self-diagnose and be right, I feel the €60 is for the 1% of the time when you're wrong

I think it's the other way around.:D

People spend 5mins reading about a disease on wikipedia and then convince themselves they have it.:rolleyes:

SugarHigh · 09-03-2010 11:36PM

I genuinly don't think they are overpriced considering the importance of the job they're doing and how over worked they can be.

09-03-2010 11:37PM

robinph wrote: »

You should not have to pay to see a GP at the point of contact.

Tax me for it or whatever, but taking cash off me when I'm in need of help is just plain wrong.

Tails142 wrote: »

yeah they're an absolute joke - would put you off going to the doctors in the first place.

Bring that in and enjoy your 3 month waiting list to get an initial consult. The fact that the fees are €50+ is the only thing stopping the flood of "ah me back's acting up a bit" and "my pee is a bit yellower than yesterday", not to mention the auld ones who come in for no other reason than a bit of complaining.

galwayrush · 09-03-2010 11:39PM

28064212 wrote: »

Bring that in and enjoy your 3 month waiting list to get an initial consult. The fact that the fees are €50+ is the only thing stopping the flood of "ah me back's acting up a bit" and "my pee is a bit yellower than yesterday", not to mention the auld ones who come in for no other reason than a bit of complaining.

That's what medical cards are for.:rolleyes:

sesna · 09-03-2010 11:39PM

robinph wrote: »

But my feelings on it all is that you should never have to pay to see a GP anyway, they should be paid out of the PRSI money and not take cash directly from patients. Once you get moved up the chain I've less of an issue with money changing hands, but should definately not be at the first point of contact with the GP.

There is already a huge shortage of GP's in the country, and they are under huge pressure as it is trying to deal with their current list of patients.

If GP was free, every neurotic mother who had a child with a runny nose would be running off to the surgery with poor little Tommy to check he was okay.

Medical card holders visit their GP on average 6 times more per year than private patients but yet private patients dont have a higher mortality rate due to inadequate access to medical care.

It is estimated that unnecessary visits to GP's in the UK costs the NHS 380 millions pounds each year , and 96 million visits per year could easily be treated with simple over the counter remedies.

PhysiologyRocks · 09-03-2010 11:43PM

Yes, I think doctors are worth their fees.

My health is priceless to me.

Do You Think Doctors Are Worth Their Fees?

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