I like to know something about patients, more than just the "what can I do for you today." I asked Yolanda, age 39, about her family. She said she had two teenagers and a 20 year old. Is the 20 yr old still at home? No, he’s serving a mission for our church in Florida. Well, I replied, that’s what I did many years ago in Brazil.
She had come to the office after experiencing some abnormal bleeding for about 9 months; I assumed hormonal imbalance, but to exclude the much less likely uterine cancer recommended a routine endometrial (uterine) biopsy. But the exam expectedly suggested cervical cancer. She’s not had a Pap smear in 10 years--no insurance. Regular Pap smears would have picked up an earlier and easily treatable “pre-cancer.”
Two days later I have the results: cervical cancer confirmed. I don’t normally have patients return for just a discussion of results ($20+ copay and a half day missing work just to be told, “everything is normal”). So I call her with the news; silence then some crying as I explain and try to reassure.
So whenever an anti-Obamacare guy starts complaining about the surfer who expects free health care for his chronic ear infection, I’d like to direct the conversation back to Yolanda and her missed Pap smears.
So true. I will remember this story when I remind people that health insurance is something every American should have reasonable access to. I hope her prognosis is not as grim as it sounds right now.
ReplyDelete