Paperless?
Another appointent with the vascular surgeon's nurse practitioner today came with all the regular questions and concerns. He had some tests done last week and we reviewed the results. His left leg has good circulation, despite some numbness beginning at the bottom of the incision scar (mid-calf) to his ankle. I don't think it bothers him as much as he told her today. He doesn't complain very often, I would know! His right leg doesn't have good circulation. It will begin to ache if he walks or stands too long. The normal range is .9 to1and his was at .74 on one test and .45 on another.
So we will have another surgery sometime in August (we hope). If his recovery is uneventful, we will be able to travel this fall. Yay! The boat has been moved and instead of chocks, we used cement blocks. Just waiting for the seats to be done and we can go ahead and have the pontoon welded. Just need to find a shorter boat trailer and get rid of the too long one.
Remember when you used to visit the doctor and leave with no paper in your hands? I am old, I do. This was long before the world began to realize how many trees had to come down to make that paper. Paper was cheap then. As the world began to become enlightened about paper it seems I noticed the use of paper ramp up. Save receipts and all manner of paper involving any transaction for tax purposes and such.
Time moved on and it seems like everyone now has a computer or some other device that allows them to store things on-line. We can even see all of our medical records on My Chart. Yet when you check in at a new doctor (every ailment deserves a specialist, right?) you will need to fill out a stack of papers, some of which require the same info already supplied on pages before. Not only that, they will take a photocopy of your driver's license, insurance cards, and any other form of ID they ask for.
What happens to all that paper? After inputting all of the information, do they then stuff a file folder with all this paper? You know they have put the information in your on-line because you can see it when you log onto your chart. Why, then do they print out the results of the visit and hand it to you on your way out the door? The exact same information is on My Chart! Aren't we supposed to be transitioning to a paperless society?
Then you head to the pharmacy to pick up refills. This also comes with a sheaf of papers that you immediately detach and toss. Straws make me a little crazy, too. Go through a McDonalds drive-thru and you get straws whether or not you purchase something to drink, a lot of times more than just one. So many napkins that I take what we don't use and put them in our napkin holder. So much waste!
Go to an eat-in restaurant and they will automatically place a straw on the table with your beverage. Once placed on the table it cannot be issued to another diner even though it is paper wrapped. I have begun adding "no straw" when I order my beverages.
It would appear that we are not a paperless society, just a wasteful one.
We don't get straws here anymore and we never got them if we didn't order drinks. These days we take our own reusable straws if we have any (stainless steel and washable) or we drink without a straw. FYI stainless steel straws are very f***ing cold on the teeth.
ReplyDeleteI bought stainless steel straws long ago for HeWho is never far from his big stainless steel vessel of flavored fizzy water. He prefers the straw, I don't really care. After all the talk about massive waste and the harm from the plastic straws and such, you would think people would be more cognizant of this issue. The medical industry should take note that when a person chooses to go paperless, don't hand them a ream of paper as they leave the office! We always opt for paperless billing, but our insurance providers provide us with electronic bills and will send a paper bill as well. Same with the power comapny and even the bank. They ask your preference and still send paper via the mail. Why ask if you do not plan to honor the request? The cost of paper has to be figured into our bills, like all costs of doing business. Don't get me started on pharmeceutical comapanues and all the ads on TV and in magazines!! So much waste!
Deletewe have always been a wasteful society.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like it has gotten worse as medical facilities try to anticipate law suits and cover their a$$es!
DeleteMy doctor's office is the same. At least five papers on the way out the door. I like getting the one paper with weight, bp, meds, all there. It serves me better to have those printed, put in a folder where I can note changes. Yes, I know it's all online, but I LIKE having that on paper. So I asked if they could just print the top paper instead of the whole stack? No. It's all or nothing with the printing. I said the others would just go in my shredder when I got home. She asked if I'd like for her to just put them in their shredder? So they printed the papers and shredded them immediately. No brains involved here!
ReplyDeleteRegarding "transitioning" and our society, from my point of view it's all going backwards!
I hope they recycle the shredded paper!! When I worked at the fabric chain, we had to pull outdated patterns quarterly. This resulted in shopping carts full of patterns we were instructed to destroy, lest dumpster divers should get them and sell them at flea markets and such. We were told to put them in large plastic bags and wet them down with water before heaving them into the dumpster. I suggested in investing in paper shredders, one for each store and having a paper recycler pick them up. Too big an investment for over 300 stores they said. I di little more than sprinkle water on the patterns as it was already so heavy. I would see out dated patterns in thrift stores and such and I am sure some were from my store.
DeleteI have refused paper at so many doctors' offices that the "checker outer" not only says "no paper" when I show up, I've noticed they ask if folks want the summary now.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for HeWhos surgery is upcomng.
As you know, I am not shy about expressing myself and can only hope it will do some good. Same with all those appt. cards they hand out. They call you the day before and remind you of the appointment, so another wasteful practice!
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