Monday, December 8, 2014

Creature Comforts

Today was a medical 'take care of me' day.  In the morning I had an appointment for my yearly mammogram at the Women's Center of a nearby hospital.  After that I walked up a couple of floors in the same building to my OB/GYN's office and took care of that annual visit, too.

These appointments aren't my favorite activities, but they're not a big deal.   Things have certainly improved over the years.  The mammography room now has a private dressing area attached to it.  There's no more changing into a hospital gown in a dressing room down the hall, then waiting in a chair outside the screening area for your name to be called.

The doctor's office has also done their part to make things more comfortable by changing from paper to cloth covers in the exam room.  After the nurse took my blood pressure today she handed me a neatly-folded cape and throw to put on before the doctor arrived. The cape overlapped in the front and had a button at the top to hold it closed. The throw was long enough to wrap around the lower part of my body.  That made waiting for the doctor much more comfortable!

Five years ago today: ....gnitseretnI

16 comments:

  1. I always hated waiting for the doctor feeling like you were dressed in a couple of large paper towels. ha.

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  2. Good for you getting all these necessary things done Kathy!

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  3. No such upgrades yesterday as I had a new spinal x-ray. Maybe the improvements will move east.

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  4. Kathy these tests are also not one of my favorite things to do but I also still do them. I laughed when I read Betsy's comment... yup those darn paper towels they give you to wait in. I also detest them and am soooo glad they've switched over to gowns as well.

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    1. Hmmmm....I wonder if cloth or material gowns are more prevalent?

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  5. Anything they can do to make it more comfortable for patients and more likely that patients will get these very important and potentially life saving tests is a very positive thing, indeed!

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  6. Nice to know that your medical facilities are changing. Not so here in Fresno. I had a mammogram for the first time in 7 years (yes, 7 years, I hate the things and pretty much refuse to have them) and nothing had changed. Maybe they moved us along a little faster, but that was it. Although the staff attempts to be lovely, the procedure is not so I have no desire to return next year to be their customer.

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    1. That's a shame to hear. Did they give you a survey form or a chance to share your opinion?

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    2. That's even funnier. Just an admonition to come back next year. They know my insurance will pay the bill!

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    3. I think I would look for other places to go that would be more patient-friendly.

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    4. The place I go is the top-rated place in Fresno, and from what I hear from others, none of the places in the city are much different. Probably not as clean and fancy in decor. Your city just seems to be a different breed.

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  7. Love the cloth instead of the paper towel.

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