Posted by AKC on June 30, 2001, at 17:43:51
In reply to Re: Locating Psychiatrists...rabbits and hats » PaulB, posted by kazoo on June 30, 2001, at 17:01:26
My approach to finding a pdoc here in the good ole u.s. was the same as finding any provider of anything in a capatilistic society - recommendation.
Now I happen to be able to afford to pay out of pocket - so I can go outside of my hmo network or to pay the ppo copay, depending what insurance flavor of the year I have. I got lucky in so many ways when I moved to my current city - a therapist (not mine, out of town at the time of a major crisis) recommended a doctor, that office was downright unhelpful, the therapist suggested my current pdoc, that doc couldn't get me in but went out of her way to find someone to help me. I knew right then she was the one - to help me so much when I wasn't even her patient spoke volumns. She frustrates me a lot at times, but I trust her - and I don't trust many people at all.
However, I do believe that even within most HMOs that if you are in larger cities, there is enough of a selection, you can do some shopping around - if you can find the energy to do so - horrible thing about depression is it tends to make so many of us remain still. There is still that piece of flexibility in the U.S. system. Those who must rely on medicaid and who live in small towns, unfortunately get what is there - and that I am certain can be very good at times (I believe most doctors do want to help people), but at times can be really bad.
kazoo - be kind with the lawyer comments. We are not all slime. In fact, some of us are very caring people who don't deserve to be drowned on a garbage barge.
poster:AKC
thread:6925
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010628/msgs/6952.html