posted by Margaret78
29 May 2014
My first experience with how the system works
Last reply:
06 September 2014 20:38
Hello ,
Perhaps it is merely my reflection but health care system seems to cover only those who are either well off or very poor. I do not qualify for medical card, saying that by no means I am doing well, struggling is more appropriate word to use and my twice a year visit to GP is something I need to wisely incorporate into my budget. I had an opportunity to do a cheap mammogram when abroad. I took it. €20 including CD and narrative...not a bad deal and having already enquired after mammogram in Dublin I knew I am just a bit too young to get a free one and too poor to go privately . Unfortunately, the result was not "all clear". Something has been detected in my left breast and I was being advised to follow up with an ultrasound. So I went to GP and was being refereed for ultrasound. Since I am just over 35, it is free too (Yuupeee ). I was told by my GP that in two weeks I should be contacted about my appointment. There was no phone call or any letter for another two months so I started making enquiries and found out (after many fruitless conversations) that consultant, based on short note from my GP and without requesting to see my mammogram or anything else concluded that I am a low risk and my appointment is for December (10 months later). After many phone calls to my GP and hospital it seems that December is the best they can do and I can either humbly accept it or do ultrasound privately. In a state of panic I asked my GP if I can pay to speed up the process (I asked myself...how expensive it can be....€50, €60? After all I have a genuine reason to do it). When I expressed the wish to pay for it, I was called by the hospital nearly straight away, to my surprise, I was being offered next day appointment and other days that week were also available. Talking of jumping the queue. The price was the last detail mentioned and it was either €130 or more, not sure that is how shocked I was. Of course this is only ultrasound, consultation before/after ultrasound would be most likely another costly affair. I called back half an hour later and cancelled my appointment then I broke down crying. It is my first experience of how things work and though I did not have high expectations I guess, I hoped things are bit better organized than that. 10 months long waiting list sounds like a dead sentence for those who actually might have a cancer and 10 months long mental torture for all including those who are lucky enough to get "all clear" at the end. What saddens me most is that 10 months, in the same place, can be reduced to 24 hours as long as you are willing to splash the cash...now when thinking of expression “duty to care” I dare to add “for cash payees only”.
It angers me that whomever assessed my case decided, by looking at one line long note from my GP, that I am a low risk. I could respect that decision if followed by review of the mammogram CD but they never bothered to ask for it or showed any interest in it. Instead they based their whole diagnosis on a short note. It is scary to think that it is how present days professionals assess patient’s health, no facts, no figures just a reasonable guess. One can only wonder if, in the same circumstances, the daughter or mother of same person who reviewed my case would be put on 10 months long waiting list.
I will be going abroad to visit my family in three months and I will organise ultrasound and whatever else is necessary when there. After 10 years of being in full time employment, paying taxes, levies and all the rest I am forced to seek medical help abroad because only there I can afford it. It is all very sad and depressing. I wholeheartedly hope I do not have anything to worry, after finding out it takes 10 months to get ultrasound to check a lump for cancer I am dreading getting sick in here. This whole experience seriously scared me. It is sad when only rich can afford decent care and next day appointments while the rest of us is forced to wait on a 10 months long lists
enough from me, just needed to get it off my chest.
M
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