Are Pudendal Doctors Shady?

[ChaseJordan92]

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[DakotaGirl]

I don't know if I use the word shady because I feel guilty saying it but I felt mine was kind of well, not very clear about my test results. I drove hours to get an emg and all he could say was yes you have PN and when I pressed him for more answers like was it trapped , he seems to get a little defensive.
I also felt it was a blanket diagnosis and the treatment was a blanket treatment. I could have just read the treatments here and done the same thing he recommended months and $$$$ later. That's why I feel badly saying it.
Sometimes they say a thing or two and your gut intuition has a reaction that makes you feel that way and I like to trust my gut. After all, their goal is surgery so if our goal is not, then there's no sense going to one. I was also told that by two of my trusted health care providers.

[Jason32]

I am not familiar with the Doctor you went to- does he accept insurance? I am skeptical of any medical provider that does not accept insurance, which would include many PNE surgeons (Marvel, Dellon, Filler, etc.). This tells me one of two things (neither of which are really good):

1) They want more money than what insurance will pay, and choose to price gouge desperate pain patients.
2) Their methods are experimental and wouldn't withstand the scrutiny of insurance review.

It seems most PT's do accept insurance so if you're looking for an evaluation I'd start there. Also look into the mindbody approach as it has helped me a lot.

(All of this is just my opinion; I am not a Doctor and can't give official medical advice)

[DakotaGirl]

My dr took insurance but my co-payments are high and so is the cost to travel. That's what I meant about $$$
I wouldn't go to any provider that wouldn't accept insurance.
Or were you asking Chasejordan?

[ChaseJordan92]

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[Jason32]

My dr took insurance but my co-payments are high and so is the cost to travel. That's what I meant about $$$
I wouldn't go to any provider that wouldn't accept insurance.
Or were you asking Chasejordan?

Oops, sorry, I should've used the quote box before. My insurance question was originally directed towards ChaseJordan; however, it is also a general statement for people to think about.

Who was your Doctor, if you don't mind me asking?

[stephanies]

I have seen doctors who do take insurance and those who do not. I have also seen PTs who do take insurance and those who do not.

My current PT, who does take insurance and is very knowledgeable, explained to me that she typically books 30 minute appointments for her patients. This gives pelvic patients (who need time to give update on pain, get undressed, have ice, etc.) about 15 minutes of hands on work per session. She said for orthopedic patients, this is plenty of time to make progress and she can oversee multiple patients doing stretches/exercises at the same time and give input as needed. She said if she just did pelvic patients, she could not make any money because of the individual attention required and the lack of money paid by insurance. I looked at my insurance reimbursement for the 30 minute session and the PT gets my co-pay plus $9 from my insurance. When you look at the other expenses with running a business, administrative staff, building rent, etc. for an experienced professional to bring into the company under $35 for a half hour's worth of work (not including communication with my doctor, updating her notes, etc.) is not very much. This is true of doctors too. When a pelvic pain patient comes in to discuss his/her case, there is typically a lot of background information (I know I have a binder for mine) previous scan results, op reports,questions, as well as an examination that comes into play. How can any doctor manage to give a patient an hour or more of his/her time for a co-pay and a small insurance reimbursement? Those that do take insurance, which may be only Drs. Hibner and Conway for pelvic issues/PN, must schedule less complicated (and quick) appointments mixed in with their pelvic pain patients. Otherwise their businesses could not survive.

It is clear that you are asking questions in an attempt to discredit all doctors who treat PN patients as part of a larger agenda. As far as pelvic pain doctors being "shady", I think that is painting with a broad brush and inappropriate. I think pelvic pain is extremely complicated for most and maybe, there simply isn't much that can be done for the patient unless the patient is disabled to a point where he/she wants to try invasive procedures that have risk associated with them.

The receptionist comment also is just trying to diminish and demean these doctors it does not add credibility to your points.

Stephanies

[ChaseJordan92]

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[ChaseJordan92]

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[Jason32]

I have seen doctors who do take insurance and those who do not. I have also seen PTs who do take insurance and those who do not.

My current PT, who does take insurance and is very knowledgeable, explained to me that she typically books 30 minute appointments for her patients. This gives pelvic patients (who need time to give update on pain, get undressed, have ice, etc.) about 15 minutes of hands on work per session. She said for orthopedic patients, this is plenty of time to make progress and she can oversee multiple patients doing stretches/exercises at the same time and give input as needed. She said if she just did pelvic patients, she could not make any money because of the individual attention required and the lack of money paid by insurance. I looked at my insurance reimbursement for the 30 minute session and the PT gets my co-pay plus $9 from my insurance. When you look at the other expenses with running a business, administrative staff, building rent, etc. for an experienced professional to bring into the company under $35 for a half hour's worth of work (not including communication with my doctor, updating her notes, etc.) is not very much. This is true of doctors too. When a pelvic pain patient comes in to discuss his/her case, there is typically a lot of background information (I know I have a binder for mine) previous scan results, op reports,questions, as well as an examination that comes into play. How can any doctor manage to give a patient an hour or more of his/her time for a co-pay and a small insurance reimbursement? Those that do take insurance, which may be only Drs. Hibner and Conway for pelvic issues/PN, must schedule less complicated (and quick) appointments mixed in with their pelvic pain patients. Otherwise their businesses could not survive.

I view this idea with skepticism. I have spoken with many patients of the surgeons I mentioned in my first post, and most have told me they did not spend any more time with them than the average physician does (15 minutes or so). There are also plenty of pelvic floor PT's just in my area who take insurance and spend 45-60 minutes with patients.

I will agree with you though that ChaseJordan's comment about receptionist attitude has little to do with quality of care and is mostly a non-factor.

I have questioned in the past the practices of some TMS/mindbody practitioners (not on this forum) who didn't take insurance and charged outrageous amounts for a short appt. So my skepticism is not limited to PNE surgeons, but anyone who does not accept insurance.