Taking DS to Dr. - can I ask him to look at my throat too?

[lecach]

Im taking DS (1 yr old) to pediatrician today. He's got a bad cough with wheezing. My throat is very sore - and since I was around my Mom on Monday who was later diagnosed with Strep I am a little worried. Would it be wrong to ask the pediatrician to look at my throat? Or is that not cool? The one we're seeing today is great - I dont think he would be offended or anything.

 

[prestonsmomma]

Our pediatrician has done it for me. Heck ours offered to call the rest of the family in meds if they started getting a sore throat after DS was diagnosed with strep once.

 

[Stephres]

I have often wondered about that! Isn't it funny that we will drop everything to take out sick kids to the doctor, but we will go around days wheezing/feverish/drippy because we don't want to take the time out to go to our doctor!

 

[sara74]

I am a dentist, and run on a pretty tight schedule. I would bet, given the managed care world of today that the MD's are on tighter schedules than we are. For me it is a little different as I need to get clean instruments to see another patient (not just a new tongue depressor and gloves) and the question I am usually being asked has nothing to do with the original patient I was seeing. Often I am torn between getting to my next patient on time (and yes, people have pointed out to me very loudly if I am even 3 minutes late seeing them) or checking the funny thing in Junior's mouth at mom's appt (or vice versa)

If I was asked a related question, like prescribing Fluoride to multiple siblings at one child's appt I would have no problem with it, which is like asking the ped to look at your throat too. It is the completely unrelated questions that are never quick or easy that make me crazy!

 

[lecach]

The Dr. had no problem looking at my throat when I told him we had been exposed to Strep. He said we both had really red throats. He didnt do a throat culture but he gave us both prescriptions - penicillan for me and Amoxicillan for DS. Im glad I asked. Now some of the pediatricians at this office would have probably said no. But this one I really felt wouldnt have a problem. I told him I tried to get into my Dr. but couldnt. He said its funny - adult drs can get away with a 2 day or more wait. But if a pediatricians office didnt provide same day appointments they'd be out of business.

The main reason we decided to take DS to the Dr. yesterday - besides the wheezing - is that our insurance changes January 1 and its going to be terrible. $25 copay plus 20% of the charges. And prescriptions are the same. So yesterdays visit ($15) plus prescriptions ($17 total for both) would have likely cost us $75 or more.

 

[momz]

well, i have a different opinion on this matter. i think it is in poor taste to do this. if you are looking for medical advice, you should be prepared to compensate the doctor for their time. compare it to any other service industry. would you take your car for service and expect the mechanic to also service your spouses car just because it is more convenient for you? coming from the other end of this request, i think it is disrespectful of the doctors time and education.

 

[CleveRocks]

Im taking DS (1 yr old) to pediatrician today. He's got a bad cough with wheezing. My throat is very sore - and since I was around my Mom on Monday who was later diagnosed with Strep I am a little worried. Would it be wrong to ask the pediatrician to look at my throat? Or is that not cool? The one we're seeing today is great - I dont think he would be offended or anything.

Please allow me to get back to you on this one. In an hour or so I'm leaving to spend New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with two other couples and all 6 of our kids. Of the 6 adults that will be there, 5 (everyone but me) are pediatricians. I'm sure your question will make for some lively dinner discussion, especially if the Bordeaux is flowing freely.

Stay tuned ....

-- Eric

 

[lecach]

Momz: I would have compensated the Dr. for his time. I wasnt just trying to get free medical advice. I did try to get in to my own Dr. but they couldnt see me. They do have urgent care hours on Saturday so if the pediatrician had not been comfortable looking at my throat then I would have gone to the urgent hours. I didnt push it - but he didnt hesitate when I asked him.

 

[sara74]

Momz: I would have compensated the Dr. for his time. I wasnt just trying to get free medical advice.

There really isn't a way for you to have compensated the Dr. for his time, the same as in our office. Medical, and dental billing, is all done via insurance codes and paperwork, as you are aware based on one of your earlier posts. As an adult, who is not a patient of the pediatrician, there is no way for him to receive compensation for your office visit. He can't bill your insurance, as I am sure it would be kicked out of the system, an adult seeing the pediatrician. And he didn't bill you out of pocket, did he?

I don't think you were trying to scam a free visit, just that you are a busy person who would have a hard time getting a Drs. visit for yourself. However, the consideration about your Drs. schedule, and his compensation is a valid one.

 

[lecach]

I understand what you're saying - but really, he just took a quick look at my throat. No tests, no checking anything else. It took maybe 5 seconds and one little wooden stick. And since we were both exposed to strep if I had it and DS didnt and I wasnt treated then DS could catch it. If it werent for the strep I wouldnt have asked at all. And I never asked for a prescription. If he had said that it looked like something and I needed to go see my Dr. then I would have. Im not trying to be defensive - although it certainly sounds like I am - just trying to make sure I explain myself.

 

[barkley]

boy, i can't even do this with one of my other kids! our medical group requires a separate appointment for each kid. in order to give a perscription (if nesc.) it has to be recorded in the medical record and if the medical record shows a diagnosis/perscription without a corresponding appointment in the computer system (and the billing system) the auditor would have a cow!
this is not to say that if one of the kids is seen with a communicable disease (like strep or chicken pox) that our pediatrician has not said "if the other starts showing the same symptoms call me and i'll call in the perscription" (then she can record it as a phone consultation). but between the hmo's and the fact that our medical group is a part of a not for profit medical foundation...oh the hoops they make the doctors jump through.

at least they now offer urgent/same day care 7 days per week. so if worse comes to worse i travel after dh gets home from work and can watch the kiddies.

 

[kiddoc]

As a pediatrician, I deal with this on a daily basis. To be honest, I feel like it puts me in a tough position. I feel like I have no option but to say yes. However, I do not write prescriptions for parents. In the lawsuit-happy world in which we live, the name of the game is DOCUMENTATION! As another poster stated, I have no chart on a parent as we do not care for adults in our office. Therefore, I have no way of documenting any prescribing I do for an adult. I know that 99/100 times this would be no problem, but that one time when someone has an allergic reaction to a medication that I decided to prescribe for them at their child's appointment to save them time/money could come back to haunt me. It is really to protect the parent AND myself.
Just my 2cents worth...

 

[mariolatry]

Please don't do it. It's not fair to the doctor. Make your own appointment with your own doctor.

 

[mama22]

As a pediatrician, I deal with this on a daily basis. To be honest, I feel like it puts me in a tough position. I feel like I have no option but to say yes. However, I do not write prescriptions for parents. In the lawsuit-happy world in which we live, the name of the game is DOCUMENTATION! As another poster stated, I have no chart on a parent as we do not care for adults in our office. Therefore, I have no way of documenting any prescribing I do for an adult. I know that 99/100 times this would be no problem, but that one time when someone has an allergic reaction to a medication that I decided to prescribe for them at their child's appointment to save them time/money could come back to haunt me. It is really to protect the parent AND myself.
Just my 2cents worth...

As a pediatrician myself, I completely agree with you.