US Doctors In Strict Check Under Obama Administration!

The Obama administration is getting tougher on the health matters. For this purpose, they have created some " mystery Shoppers"!


A new way to access to the doctors by " mystery shoppers"!

June,26,2011 !
The Obama administration has planned to access the doctors through "mystery shoppers" who would disguise themselves as "patients"! This step is taken after the complaints of the Primary Care doctors shortage. The "mystery shoppers" would call the doctors, make an appointment and figure it out how difficult it is for a common man to get care while they are in dire need of it.

The administration has said that the survey would mainly address the " critical public policy problem" which is the on-going shortage of "primary care doctors", including specialists in internal medicine and family practice. This would also help to unveil if the doctors accept those with the private health insurance as they have been turning government health programs away because it pays minimum.

The mystery shoppers would call the doctors and inquire if they accept the new patients and if they do, for how long they have to wait for it. The government is keen to know if the doctors would accept them with public insurance , as Medicaid, or the private insurance as the " Blue Cross" and "Blue Shield".

Dr. George J. Petruncio, a family doctor in Turnersville, N.J., has told: “This is not a way to build trust in government. Why should I trust someone who does not correctly identify himself?” Dr. Stephen C. Albrecht, a family doctor in Olympia, Wash., also expressed his concerns and said: “If federal officials are worried about access to care, they could help us. They don’t have to spy on us.”

I think this step has been taken after the continuous complaints from the patients who have shown their concern over the attitude of doctors where they were not accepted due to different reasons. A few days ago, the Massachusetts Medical Society has conducted a survey in which it was shown that 53% of family physicians and 51% of the internal medicine physicians refused to accept the new patients. This is shocking to mention here that even those who got the appointments, had to wait longer; so long that it would take 36 to 48 days for a patient to wait for the turn.