Newsletter 12 - My Recent Experience with Healthcare... And How We're Different

My Recent Experience with Healthcare... And How We're Different

Hello Movement Redefined Followers!

Dr. Dante here with an update on my collarbone and my recent experience with accessing healthcare.

It has been a little more than 9 weeks since I fractured my right collarbone. The first few weeks were quite sore and uncomfortable. Over time, as the swelling and muscle guarding has improved, I've been feeling better and able to do more. However, I can tell my shoulder is just not right.

I'm a relatively healthy person, so I rarely have to access formal healthcare. That all changed with this injury. I initially had to go to the emergency room following my injury. I underwent x-rays, which were inconclusive for a fracture vs. a dislocation. I was referred to an orthopedist.

I was able to consult with an orthopedist 4 days after my injury. I underwent another round of x-rays, which were again inconclusive. The orthopedist said it was hard to tell if there was a fracture or if it was just a dislocation of my sternoclavicular joint, the joint between the collarbone and sternum. Either way, he said the only option was to just let it heal as it is, but that he ordered a CT scan to determine if there was a fracture.

At first I was hesitant to get the CT scan. I was feeling pretty defeated at that time, and was wondering what the point was to expose myself to more radiation if they weren't going to offer me any treatment options. But, wanting to know definitively myself, I went ahead and got the CT scan.

On July 18, thirteen days after my injury, I was finally able to get the CT scan. That imaging revealed that I did not have a dislocation, but instead a displaced fracture of the medial portion of my collarbone. Only 2% of collarbone fractures happen in this portion of the bone. I felt some satisfaction in knowing what exactly was going on, as well as a hope that the orthopedist had to offer me something instead of just letting it heal as it is.

I returned to follow-up with the ortho the following week. We reviewed the CT scan, but I was told there is nothing they will do about it, and to just let it heal. This frustrated me. This could have been communicated with me over the phone or by message, instead of having me come in for another appointment and pay another co-pay. But also I was disappointed in how this was going to impact my life now and into the future.

I wasn't ready to give up though, so I sought a second opinion. That became another adventure. I had to coordinate having my records sent from one orthopedist office to the other. I had to follow-up by phone multiple times to make sure that it was sent and received. I had to call the office of the second orthopedist multiple times to check in to make sure my information was being reviewed.

Finally, the ortho for the second opinion agreed to see me, and I was scheduled for a consult on August 28, nearly 8 weeks following my initial injury.

My appointment was scheduled for 11:30am. I arrived 15 minutes early because I knew I would have to complete new patient intake paperwork. Then I sat there and waited, and waited, and waited. I always hear these stories from patients and clients having to sit in the doctors office and wait because their doctor is so far behind schedule. It was so frustrating to experience that myself.

Finally, about 45 minutes after my scheduled appointment time I was called back. Because every doctor wants their own imaging, I underwent another round of x-rays, which, unsurprisingly, were inconclusive. Then I sat in the exam room for another 30 minutes waiting for the orthopedist.

I was pretty furious by the time the doctor came in to see me, but I composed myself. He reviewed my previous CT scan with me, and then gave me two options, let it heal as it is or surgically repair it. We talked for several minutes about the pros and cons of each option. Ultimately, we decided if surgery was an option that I needed to undergo an additional CT scan to get a 3D mock-up of the fracture so that he knew exactly what needed to be done. I left from the office about 2 hours after arriving.

I went ahead and got the second CT scan done. From what I can see of the image not much has changed or healed. I follow-up with the orthopedist on September 11. I'm still not sure what to do.

What this experience has shown me is firsthand the crazy broken healthcare system we have. Being shuffled around to multiple providers. Having to coordinate records and appointments. Getting multiple and inconsistent opinions. How it is just acceptable that doctors can be so behind schedule. Having no idea what the true expense of all this is until I receive a bill probably a month or more after the fact.

It's all insane!

But it is exactly why Movement Redefined exists, why we do things differently, and why we are trying to be part of the change.

We respect your time. We strive to provide you the best possible value for your time and money. Our costs are transparent. We always work with you 1-on-1 for physical therapy and private personal training. We're about quality not quantity. Your plan is determined by you and your coach, not dictated by an insurance company. We care about you, and we will not sacrifice our values, because we know that healthcare can be better.

Thank you for entrusting us to give you a different experience.

Appreciate you taking the time to read this!

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