I have a great network of friends and colleagues, and they keep me amused with a steady stream of anecdotes and jokes delivered directly to my inbox. One recent arrival made me chuckle, then made me think:
Two patients limp into two different American Medical clinics with the same complaint. Both have trouble walking and appear to require a hip replacement.
The first patient sees the family doctor after waiting a week for an appointment, then waits eighteen weeks to see a specialist, then gets an x-ray, which isn't reviewed for another month and finally has his surgery scheduled for 6 months from then. The second patient is examined within the hour, is x-rayed the same day and has a time booked for surgery the following week.
Why the different treatment for the two patients?
The first is a Senior Citizen.
The second is a Golden Retriever.
While the story is meant to be humorous, it's illustrative of an important principle of consumer-directed health care. Why does the golden retriever get the special treatment? Not because he's a dog, or because vets care more about their patients than human doctors do. Rather, it's because veterinary care represents a model of truly consumer-directed care. If a patient takes his/her golden retriever to the vet and the vet leaves them waiting in the lobby for 45 minutes, you can bet that pet owner is going to be looking for a new vet! There are no "HMOs" or "Hospital Networks" or "Preferred Providers" when it comes to veterinary care. Services are generally paid for directly, without adjudication or reconcilliation. Providers compete for business, making them more aware of the need to keep costs in line and service levels higher.
Granted—there is a huge difference between health care for animals and health care for humans. The stakes are higher for human patients than they are for our animal companions, no matter how much we treasure them. However, this little joke did make me think.
