Yes, our medical system is seriously “broke.” Not in losing money, although corporate management would disagree but in getting services. For example, this morning I called my neighbor’s primary office to see if they ordered and faxed a referral last week for a nurse home visit and to start physical therapy. Our neighbor had slipped out of her bed to the floor and could not pick herself up.
Thank God, her cell phone was within reach and she called her sister for help who then contacted my spouse and the two ladies got Maggie off the floor and cleaned up her mess.
Back to the doctor’s office who reported they had faxed the order for a PT visit, but when I called the home care office if they received the referral and “sure enough:” no orders were received for PT for our neighbor. Now what happened?
I contacted the physician’s office and they verified they had fax the order but when I checked their fax number it was not correct. They had a different fax number to forward doctor orders. So “kindly” I asked to resend the request for PT to the correct fax number given to me by the triage nurse. And yes, I will call back later in the day to verify that home care got their orders. Whew! Now that was easy. You got to be kidding.
I have the humble privilege of being deployed over twenty times to help folks in Buffalo after the once in a generation blizzard. I have heard their heroic stories saving lives and then sometimes their sorrows that loved ones did not survive. Yes, as we start this new year, we will face many difficulties, but once again the God we pray to wants you to know this morning that your prayers are important and heard and will be answered. Just a little patience and keep on “pedaling” meaning persevere and never lose hope.
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends coping with our “broken” medical system. Sometimes we wait for hours for an answer from customer service or have to call multiple times before the appointment is made. Give us strength, courage and hope.
