Why is it so difficult to have surgery today? I never saw so many forms and referrals and releases needed?

Question

I've had numous surgeries, some elective and some emergency. I know that I need disability forms for my job to get paid, but what's with all the "release" forms from the primary care physician, physical's before hand, 20 tests that you have to run all over the county for, and countless appts with other specialists before you actually have the surgery. I went to a dr in March....and my surgery is scheduled for August...isn't that a bit much? What's up with having to involve the primary care Dr to release you stating that you're healthy enough to have surgery? Is that just a ploy to get more money for a pre-surgery physical? blood work, chest exray and ekg? Only to have to go in the hospital for the same tests a week before the surgery? I'm scared to death that my insurance won't pay for all of this pre-surgery nonsense and I'll be stuck with the bills.

I had elective surgery 2 yrs ago and I didn't have to do ANY of this...why the change? (besides greed)

Answer 1

The answer is really twofold. First, the health professionals are most times sincere and very determined in their effort to make sure that you get the right treatment for what it is that ails you. Second, and I think of even more relevence to the sitution, is the fact that we live in a highly litigous society.  Doctors and other health care professionals are so afraid of being sued and rendered unable to make a living commensurate with their training, education, and hard work, that they do everything they possibly can to properly and to the best of human ability diagnose what your problem is before they treat you for anything.  Anytime a woman can sue a McDonalds restaurant claiming that she didn't know the coffee she spilled on her lap would be hot AND WIN, then you would not go wrong to reason that doctors cutting your body open are much more exposed to this sort of thing than would be a burger joint.  This is also the primary reason health care costs so much today: lawsuit after lawsuit that has rendered insurance for medical professionals so expensive that when those costs are passed on to the consumer, they seem exhorbitant, to say the least.

If I were you, though, and I was to be cut open while I sleep obliviously, I would be grateful that they did everything they could to assure that, not only are they cutting me open for the right thing, but that I really needed to be cut open in the first place.

Answer 2

In one word: LAWYERS!

Also, htey want to make sure you don't have anything wrong with you that would go bad in surgery and kill you.

Answer 3

A lot of the reason for having so many tests done is so that everyone has their *** covered.  They all have to agree that it can be done.  The PCP has to give his okay because he is your main doctor.  If you have specialists they all have to give their okay,  just in case you are on some medication that you have to stop taking a week to 10 days prior to the surgery.  Then there is the insurance company that has to decide if the surgery is really necessary and the recovery time is not to long,  (They don't want to pay out any more money than what is necessary),  Everyone has to get their piece of the pie.  

Good Luck

Answer 4

Yes, it's very greedy of your internist, surgeon and anesthesiologist to want to ensure that you are healthy enough to withstand surgery, or to be prepared for any issues that may arise in the OR.  

If you have precertified the operation with the insurance company, there shouldn't be any issue with the presurgical evaluation.  I can't tell you why more than one round of testing is necessary; I don't know why you're having surgery.  I also don't know how you got into surgery two years ago without being evaluated (the EKG is something that can be age-related, though) but isn't the question you should be asking yourself "Why didn't my surgeon then take care of this" rather than "Why are they making me do this now"?

Surgery always carries risks.  Doesn't it seem wiser to have as many of those risks as possible minimized before you go in?

ETA:  Goodness, that's a lot of surgery.

I can only say again, if you went in for lapbanding and they seriously did not do any presurgical assessments, they were not doing a very careful job.  (Are you sure you just don't remember the tests?  Because I do find it hard to believe that they would do that.)  I know I sounded testy, but truly, these are things that you want your doctors to know about you before you do anything like going under anesthesia and having major surgery.  

Ask questions if it seems like there are repeated tests--it could be that the internist doesn't realize that you were already scheduled by the surgeon or vice versa--but honestly, presurgical testing is not anything that anyone gets rich from.  Your doctors are just trying to make sure that you come through the surgery safely and with the best possible outcome, and that everyone is as prepared as possible for any complications.

Best wishes for a quick recovery!