work for kaiser you be the judge

[fammed2002]

Hello,
Working for Kaiser;
1) There is minimal to no physician autonomy present. The philosophy
is entirely corporate. It really does not matter what an individual doctor
thinks. One of the reasons that people studied medicine is that as a
doctor you would have some of this autonomy.
2) Patients have to be seen even if they show up hours late. You really
cannot tell a patient to reschedule. For example a patient with a 830 am
appt shows up at 1230pm; you still have to see them. For example,
you are seeing a peds pt and the parent asks the nurse if the other
sibling can be seen today; they don't ask the doctor they just put the
other pt on the schedule.
3) Pt satisfaction is more important than almost anything. For example,
a patient comes to you and requests 4 days off from work. As a doctor
you feel it is not warranted; the patient can complain about you as a
doctor and you will hear it from someone higher up.
4) The computer system in place takes weeks to learn all the nuances.
If you are a locum doctor they expect you to learn in 7 hours of
training what they teach over a period of weeks to their regular employees.
The computer system is very labor intensive; each encounter takes much
longer.
5) Pharm reps are not allowed to interact with doctors in the clinic/office.
Yes pharm reps sometimes are trying to sell an inferior expensive product
but they also show us the new drugs. The fact that they are not allowed
in the clinic is not good. You actually learn some new treatments and
guidelines from them but of course they should be relied upon for
keeping up to date. They do this so doctors choose the cheaper medication
and it keeps the cost down of treating patients.

I guess if someone can live with the above and would rather not have
the problems of running a office then it is an option.

regards,
fammed2002

[Auxunauxia]

Hmm... if you don't like the system, then find a way to change it.

And if you can't change it no matter what you try, then try a different hospital.

And if that still doesn't work, than maybe you need something equivalent to a doctor's sabatical.

They, do have those don't they?

Gosh they ought to have 'em....

---

Oh yes, and if they don't let you see the Pharm reps, then just make friends with a particular Pharm rep who you feel you can really trust. And listen to that friend over a coffee table, invite him/her over to the lab on a day that's closed. Make an excuse of some sort, like, you're doing extra work.

There's always a way, sometimes you just have to be a bit creative.

Being a doctor's supposed to be about helping people, and finding solutions to problems anyways after all... isn't it?

---

Using these forums, and PMing some people you know who work in the same place you do might also help.

When the 'authority' doesn't listen to one person, they often listen to groups of people.

When one person complains about something, usually nothing happens.

But if about a million people complain, they have to do something or else just about everybody leaves, and you lose patients and money.

[DrShikima]

Originally Posted by Auxunauxia

Hmm... if you don't like the system, then find a way to change it.

And if you can't change it no matter what you try, then try a different hospital.

And if that still doesn't work, than maybe you need something equivalent to a doctor's sabatical.

They, do have those don't they?

Gosh they ought to have 'em....

---

Oh yes, and if they don't let you see the Pharm reps, then just make friends with a particular Pharm rep who you feel you can really trust. And listen to that friend over a coffee table, invite him/her over to the lab on a day that's closed. Make an excuse of some sort, like, you're doing extra work.

There's always a way, sometimes you just have to be a bit creative.

Being a doctor's supposed to be about helping people, and finding solutions to problems anyways after all... isn't it?

---

Using these forums, and PMing some people you know who work in the same place you do might also help.

When the 'authority' doesn't listen to one person, they often listen to groups of people.

When one person complains about something, usually nothing happens.

But if about a million people complain, they have to do something or else just about everybody leaves, and you lose patients and money.

It is quite obvious you haven't worked with the Kaiser Permanente health system in California. The OP is correct in describing how the system works. This has nothing to do with the desire to help people or changing the system, this is a warning from this person to stay away.

And I agree, STAY AWAY!