The startling efficiency of the medical system

[hrj]

You know, the US medical industry gets a lot of bad press, but in the course of doing this "100,000 mile checkup" I've been repeatedly impressed by how well Kaiser Permanente is using modern tech to make the process more efficient -- not simply to save money for them (and thus, me) but to create a better patient experience. To start with, I made the appointment on-line, including dropping an e-mail to my doctor to let her know the context and purpose of my visit. They've eliminated the vast majority of the creation and carrying-around of paper. Tests and referrals got ordered electronically right there in the exam room, so when I showed up in the lab they just needed to run my card. I dropped by to get my fasting blood draw on my way to work this morning, and when I got home, I had an e-mail with a link to the results, all interpreted and contextualized with links to further information. And somehow ... somehow in the midst of all this, they also seem to have cut the waiting time for everything to about 5 minutes each. Five minutes waiting for my exam, five minutes waiting to get the x-rays of my thumb, five minutes to get called for the blood draw. Wow. I spent more time trying to find a parking place than sitting in the waiting room. Oh, and my blood work is all dreadfully normal. As expected, but nice to know.

Comments

[cellio]

Wow, I'm impressed! Especially about the wait times.

[thread-walker.livejournal.com]

wow. that's the first good thing I think I've ever heard about Kaiser.

from Mom

[(Anonymous)]

I know you didn't mean to tease, but I read your Kaiser blog just before I left to have my bone marrow biopsy and WOW, what a difference.
1. I had been told to show up at 9AM to be prepped for a 10 AM procedure. As soon as Walt dropped me off the 8AM patient walked in and everyone got bumped an hour.
2. Fortunately I had asked whether I would need a driver; otherwise no one told me.
3. No one had said not to eat after midnight because they might want to sedate me. Of course I had eaten breakfast, but I managed to talk my way out of being sedated (just a local). Since I wasn't being sedated I also got out of having someone search for a vein for an intervenous line.
4. About then I decided to ask whether they knew I was taking Coumadin. Uh-oh. The only lucky part of the whole procedure was that the Physician's Assistant knew me well enough to realize that she could trust my judgement about having a high pain threshhold, etc. So Freddie, the friendly and sympathetic nurse, returned to say "It's a go!.
I got to leave after nearly three hours and the only problem is an achy back and a bandaid that won't stick. And all this time my oncologist is basking in the Hawaiian sun.

[j-i-m-r.livejournal.com]

I've never understood why people complain about HMO's because the only HMO I've had experience with is Kaiser. When I've had it, Kaiser has always been great.

[thread-walker.livejournal.com]

I worked for a personal injury lawyer for a year. Kaiser was THE WORST organization to get medical records from. Hands down, THE WORST.

That does not speak to their care, only their paperwork admin stuff. But it left a strong impression on me.