I thought this comment early in the article was telling. "I know; this sounds convoluted: a drug to treat a drug side effect." In the context it seemed to imply that the readers would be surprised or confused at this. On the contrary, I think most readers realize just how widespread and insidious this is. Most doctors find it easier to p…
I thought this comment early in the article was telling. "I know; this sounds convoluted: a drug to treat a drug side effect." In the context it seemed to imply that the readers would be surprised or confused at this. On the contrary, I think most readers realize just how widespread and insidious this is. Most doctors find it easier to prescribe a drug than encourage (demand?) that a patient change their lifestyle. If and only if, after changing and adhering to the required lifestyle change, they still need the drug will it be prescribed. Medical issues that might be controlled by lifestyle changes include joint pain, mild depression, heartburn, insomnia, overactive bladder, prediabetes, prehypertension, and obesity.
Do you have knee and joint pain? Here, try Celebrex. Works great. A few years later your blood pressure is up so you should start on a additional medication. A few more years go by. Low and behold you now are showing signs of reduced kidney function so lets add another medication. A few more years and you are having digestive problems. More medication. And on it goes. The average elderly person is taking 5-6 prescription medications a year.
Drug companies push the medications. Doctors prescribe them because it's easier to write a prescription than take the time to figure out the cause of the problem is and attempt to correct it.
And, Joe, you know what else? Now that Corporate Medicine has turned your doctor's visit into a Billable Unit, and are jamming people into 15 minute slots. Writing a single prescription causes the visit to bill at a Level 4 instead of a Level 3, which is what your provider bills at if they talk to you for 15 minutes and write NO prescriptions. Too many Level 3's, and the performance auditors have a sit-and-think with you to help you improve your performance. Because Four Pays More.
It doesn't have to be this way. Never let go of that understanding. It doesn't have to be this way.
Yeah, I thought the same thing. Maybe 20 years ago, polypharmacy would be a mysterious concept to someone's elderly parent. We've basically all gotten used to the idea now.
Last I saw, that average (5-6 prescriptions) was higher. My elderly father was on 25 separate prescriptions before I noticed. He's now on 3, and all it took was a little assertiveness and asking, "why?" and dropping the scrip if there's no good answer- turns out 65% of them were just follow-on prescriptions after discharges from the hospital that never ended.
I thought this comment early in the article was telling. "I know; this sounds convoluted: a drug to treat a drug side effect." In the context it seemed to imply that the readers would be surprised or confused at this. On the contrary, I think most readers realize just how widespread and insidious this is. Most doctors find it easier to prescribe a drug than encourage (demand?) that a patient change their lifestyle. If and only if, after changing and adhering to the required lifestyle change, they still need the drug will it be prescribed. Medical issues that might be controlled by lifestyle changes include joint pain, mild depression, heartburn, insomnia, overactive bladder, prediabetes, prehypertension, and obesity.
Do you have knee and joint pain? Here, try Celebrex. Works great. A few years later your blood pressure is up so you should start on a additional medication. A few more years go by. Low and behold you now are showing signs of reduced kidney function so lets add another medication. A few more years and you are having digestive problems. More medication. And on it goes. The average elderly person is taking 5-6 prescription medications a year.
Drug companies push the medications. Doctors prescribe them because it's easier to write a prescription than take the time to figure out the cause of the problem is and attempt to correct it.
The word “demand” creeps me out. How should it be enforced?
And, Joe, you know what else? Now that Corporate Medicine has turned your doctor's visit into a Billable Unit, and are jamming people into 15 minute slots. Writing a single prescription causes the visit to bill at a Level 4 instead of a Level 3, which is what your provider bills at if they talk to you for 15 minutes and write NO prescriptions. Too many Level 3's, and the performance auditors have a sit-and-think with you to help you improve your performance. Because Four Pays More.
It doesn't have to be this way. Never let go of that understanding. It doesn't have to be this way.
Yeah, I thought the same thing. Maybe 20 years ago, polypharmacy would be a mysterious concept to someone's elderly parent. We've basically all gotten used to the idea now.
Last I saw, that average (5-6 prescriptions) was higher. My elderly father was on 25 separate prescriptions before I noticed. He's now on 3, and all it took was a little assertiveness and asking, "why?" and dropping the scrip if there's no good answer- turns out 65% of them were just follow-on prescriptions after discharges from the hospital that never ended.