On Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:15:07 -0700, Dan Abel wrote:

> In article >,
> "cybercat" > wrote:
>
>> "Dan Abel" > wrote in message
>> ...
>
>>> Well, the first one would be that conditions were the same in NC as they
>>> are in NC (Northern California). I suspect not. Perhaps the medical
>>> establishment in NC (North Carolina) was not accepting of Kaiser. Maybe
>>> they got the worst patients and poor medical staff. But that's an
>>> assumption.
>
>>> The doctors I've known in the 30+ years we've belonged to Kaiser seem
>>> pretty happy practicing medicine. They aren't business people and they
>>> don't supervise employees. They just do medicine. They are all on
>>> salary, so they don't worry about money at all.
>
>> It was not that way when they were in Raleigh, which by the way, is no small
>> shakes when it comes to high-income, high-real estate, etc.
>
>> This was in 1994-1997.
>
> I've belonged to Kaiser continuously since 1972. With few exceptions,
> the doctors are on straight salary.
>
>> All I wanted was a referral so that I could get an
>> allergy test to see if I might avoid some allergens rather than begin
>> pumping steroids up my nose, and getting shots and such. I had to fight the
>> doctor's evasive tactics, finally saying, after he gave me a list of
>> "options" "At what point did we try to identify the source of the
>> allergens?" He wrote the referral, but his face was red and his hands were
>> shaking he was so angry. He clearly lost money when he referred patients to
>> specialists.
>
> How could he "lose money" if he was on salary? If Kaiser there had an
> allergist on salary, it should have been no big deal. If they didn't,
> then I'm sure doctors get dinged for too many referrals to doctors on
> contract, because Kaiser has to pay those doctors. It depends on the
> contract, obviously, but still, those referrals represent money out the
> door for each referral.
>
> I hope you switched doctors at that point. Kaiser only assigns doctors
> if you are new and don't request a specific doctor. They really want
> you to pick a primary (and secondary) doctor(s). I have two eye
> doctors, an OD for routine eye exams and an OMD for my eye diseases.
> I've had the same primary care doctor for many years.

i've been with kaiser for about 20 years and am pretty happy with them. at
one point, i did get a primary physician who was an ass, and i gave him the
boot with no problem. the other two i've had/have are pretty sharp people
who don't mind questions.

your pal,
blake