So I don’t know if I’ve mentioned yet what it is I DO that pays the bills. I’m a software trainer for a medical management software. It keeps food in the belly and pennies in the bank, but more importantly I get to be a part of the field that I truly enjoy; Optical. I kicked off this week with an on site practice session half a country away, Deerfield IL.
I had lunch with the doctors of the practice and while I don’t like to get into political discussions at all while on the job, I sat and listened intently to the words around me. One of the doctors present steered the conversation to healthcare and how drastically the field is changing. Having been out of an office, I was surprised how low reimbursement have actually gotten and when I mentioned that I was pondering becoming an Optometrist, the chorus of “Don’t do it” was shared by all those present. One would immediately think that they’re dissuading me for fear of competition, however being as I’m over 1,000 miles away, I hardly think that’s a factor.
The look in their eye when I reviewed all the new demographic and patient data the needs to be collected told me they were horrified. All of this extra work… for what? A few dollars more from Medicare? And a yearly $26,000 check from Uncle Sam for the first few years as a “Thank you” from the federal government? Is it really worth it? Personally I say yes, but I’m supposed to. I also understand that by moving to an electronic database, the accessibility and detail of documentation is enhanced exponentially. Once these practices get past the learning curve, they will be entering examination, prescription, and billing data fast than ever and become and even more efficient practice than they have been in the past.
They were very impressed with the knowledge I had and my ability to communicate with them in a language and lingo they understand. All 6 doctors urged me to stay in my current field as it is quickly become the dominant form of medical recordkeeping. I explained to them how close I actually was to undergraduate graduation (18 units) and all of them said, “not worth it anymore”. I was shocked, but only because they were unanimous. As we move to an age when digital records are the norm, qualified individuals who can communicate effectively are in great need. The recent changes to America’s healthcare system have the doctors all over the country in a state of panic and fear; these doctors were no exception.
As the doctors discussed this new entitlement society we live in and shared “war stories” about patients, it was apparent that these doctors DID build it on their own and given the opportunity, would think twice about repeating their choices. The only reason they even hesitated was the landmark Healthcare Bill that puts unnecessary stress on practices that are collecting a sizable income from Medicaid/Medicare. Use a government approved EMR (Electronic Medical Record) or your reimbursement will decrease. When a practice collects $40-50,0000 a year on federal programmes and it would decrease by half for not using a valid EMR, practices scramble to meet the requirement. For the time being I think I’ll stay where I am and do what it is I do.
I had to travel halfway across the contiguous United States to hear what I needed, but that’s fine with me. The frustration with the federal government’s ridiculous mandates are causing people like me to second guess our career paths. I fell into this field and fell I did, I fell in love with the industry, it’s people and it’s patients(mostly). I have not fallen out of love with my industry, only grown more frustrated new mandated burdens, and I’m not the only one.
