LymeNet Flash: Why doctors have a hard time treating Lyme disease patients

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»	LymeNet Flash » Questions and Discussion » General Support » Why doctors have a hard time treating Lyme disease patients

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Topic: Why doctors have a hard time treating Lyme disease patients

Ann-Ohio
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 44364

posted

As a friend, a nurse, who wrote an article about her own case for a nursing journal said; "doctors don't want to deal with frequent flyers".

This journal article is a great study on what doctors face who do try to treat Lyme disease patients.

https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/10/1882/htm

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Ann-OH

Posts: 1605 | From Ohio | Registered: Aug 2014 | IP: Logged |

Ann-Ohio
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 44364

posted

155 doctors from 30 states responded to the survey
"When asked to identify the three main reasons for delays in patient diagnosis, clinicians specified:

Inadequate physician education about tick-borne diseases (86%)

False negative lab test (61%)

Prior misdiagnosis (52%)

Lack of EM rash (37%)

Patient residence in a state believed to be low incidence (25%)

First disease manifestations were those associated with late disease (21%)

Public misinformation (16%)

Patient delay in seeking care (5%)"

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Ann-OH

Posts: 1605 | From Ohio | Registered: Aug 2014 | IP: Logged |

Ann-Ohio
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 44364

posted

I was really moved by this doctor's response:

“I used to practice in a state where physicians who treat complex patients,
including people with chronic Lyme, were specifically targeted by health insurance companies for medical board complaints and other attacks

ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY HELPED PATIENTS OTHER DOCTORS GAVE UP ON.

Eventually I elected to move to [a state] where there is less interruption of care and more protection of vulnerable patients from predatory insurance entities.”

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Ann-OH

Posts: 1605 | From Ohio | Registered: Aug 2014 | IP: Logged |

daisys
LymeNet Contributor
Member # 11802

posted

Thank you for posting this information.

I was expecting to see, as a top reason, the protocol Insurance Co.s established for doctors.

Seven minutes per appointment just won't do it for someone with Lyme disease.

Also, one complaint per appointment is a waste of time and money.

It wasn't until I went to a LLMD that I really got the help I needed.

Posts: 552 | From New Mexico, USA | Registered: May 2007 | IP: Logged |

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