Do primary care physicians have primary care physicians?

[Alex Franke]

I've always wondered this, but I never remember to ask...

If you're a physician (and I know some of you are), and you have health insurance, then do you have a primary care physician? Or do you get to skip that whole initial visit stuff and write yourself a referral?

And if you have an ailment that falls under your specialty, and it's feasible to do so, then do you diagnose yourself, treat yourself, prescribe medications for yourself, etc? How about family members? And if you do treat yourself, do you file a claim for yourself?

Seems like there would be some good reasons to not treat self/families, but I imagine it would be awfully convenient -- especially since you'd know the symptoms and medical histories better than anyone...

[just started]

Did you ever hear that old saw "A lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client"? Well it goes triple for doctors.

[poolhound]

So on a similar theme - I'm stretching it a bit but here goes

Try this little conundrum

In a remote village where nobody ever visits and nobody ever leaves there is but one barber. Some men shave themselves and some visit the barber but they must choose one or the other. The barber shaves all those who dont shave themselves and never shaves those who do shave themselves.

So who shaves the barber?

[cabinetman]

So on a similar theme - I'm stretching it a bit but here goes

Try this little conundrum

In a remote village where nobody ever visits and nobody ever leaves there is but one barber. Some men shave themselves and some visit the barber but they must choose one or the other. The barber shaves all those who dont shave themselves and never shaves those who do shave themselves.

So who shaves the barber?

Along those lines, does a cabinetmaker make his own? LOML says YES, even if it takes nights and weekends!!
.

[atgcpaul]

So on a similar theme - I'm stretching it a bit but here goes

Try this little conundrum

In a remote village where nobody ever visits and nobody ever leaves there is but one barber. Some men shave themselves and some visit the barber but they must choose one or the other. The barber shaves all those who dont shave themselves and never shaves those who do shave themselves.

So who shaves the barber?

The barber is a woman.


Back to the doctor question. Is it illegal for a doctor to prescribe medicine
for himself?

[dkerfoot]

I am my one IT Support and both of us are fools...

[germdoc]

The barber has a beard of course.

By the same token the primary care doc never gets sick, so point is moot.

[poolhound]

The barber is a woman.

The barber has a beard of course.

No he doesnt have a beard and isnt a woman. Sorry but this is one of those circular problems that cant be solved. Wether its a he or a she here is the fundemental problem....

If he doesnt shave himself (has beard) that wont work as he must shave all those who dont shave themsleves. And he cant shave himself as he is not allowed to shave those who shave themsleves...................

[ironhat]

Resuming the subject (ah, hmmm - joking)... most insurance policies have a clause against physician self-referrals. I know one who ate an MRI bill because he referred himself and, no, the hospital would not write it off (and why should they).

[Tom Slick]

"House" diagnoses and "treats" himself. lol

Plumber's pipes always leak and mechanics seem to drive the junkiest cars.

[Russianwolf]

"House" diagnoses and "treats" himself. lol

1)So does my wife, but she's no doctor.

2)But he forges Wilson's signature on his perscriptions.

[MilDoc]

Of course, in most cases. Only a PCM can refer you to a specialist, order some tests, etc.

But my cardiologist takes care of heart, BP, etc.

And I HOPE I don't get things that fall in my realm as a pediatrician (except colds of course)!

No, I don't treat myself, family. They're all too old!

[LCHIEN]

...
No, I don't treat myself, family. They're all too old!

What, they don't like the Little Miss Kitty or Superman bandaids?

[Russianwolf]

What, they don't like the Little Miss Kitty or Superman bandaids?

Nah, It's the rectal thermometer that they shy away from.