Thank you so much for writing. So many of us in healthcare want to share stories so the world sees just how uncaring the American healthcare system is...... but we're soooo exhausted just trying to show up for our patients. (no excuses, just truth) I am a RN in a short-staffed busy city hospital; I see the consequences of delayed care every single day. And when I worked in a community clinic, the staff fought like you are for every inch we could wrestle from the insurance companies. Thank you again. When I catch my breath, I will be following up on the outlines I've started as letters to the editors...
Attacking us from all angles so we wouldn't catch out breaths is exactly their strategy!! But Yes, I agree with Amy, you are the unsung hero of our broken system. You deserve more respect, higher pay, and more vacation!!
Thank you for advocating for this child. As a heath care provider, I feel that rage, too. Health care is so very challenging to provide, because of these rules. Thank you for maintaining your compassion. Hugs to YOU!
Thank you for sharing this with us. And thank you for staying true to your oath and to the reasons why you worked so hard to become a physician. I am happy to say that now, 4.5 years into long COVID and after several “break-ups” I had to initiate with various doctors, I have finally assembled a team who have done or would do for me what you did for that family. Admittedly, I am privileged to have health insurance that does not require referrals, allowing me the freedom to break-up with any doc I need to. Anyway, thank you for having integrity 🧡
Thank you Dr Zha. And SHAME on the previous health care providers. As a nurse I say Shame on all of us who fail our patients. As Dr Zha wrote she became exhausted, frustrated, angry as many of us do. But that pales in comparison to the lived experiences of patients.
You hit exactly the point! I often feel all the emotions I feel and the length I go it's so small compared to what my patients go through. Imagine not speaking English, not knowing the system, being a new mom, not sleeping, trying so many thing...I'd go crazy.
This sounds absolutely horrendous. There are lots of problems in the Australian healthcare system, but prior authorisation ain't one! It's one of the reasons why I can't really countenance ever working in the US, even though when I was younger (before university) it had seemed like the likely place for me to go for college and to work in after graduation.
You are a WARRIOR! Patients, too, are fed up with insurance companies who deny, deny, and deny again. A friend's daughter worked for a local company in which the staff (not medical personnel, mind you) were incentivized by the number of claims they denied. There's NOTHING right about this! Thank you on behalf of patients everywhere for fighting against this crazy, unfeeling system.
I’ve completely got the song stuck in my head now - but this was such a beautiful story that I’m fine with it!
I’m so glad the little one was able to finally get her medications - and I’m touched that so many people came together to help you find a way to save this life.
I wish it wasn’t necessary to rage and fight so hard - but since it is - I’m glad there are doctors like you doing the work!
Me too!! Yes I should take a note to myself to not use a song title as article title nxt time lol. I go to work and see like 35-40 patients a day and im not tired, I fight one "good fight" like this and Im exhausted!!!!
Thank you for writing this - and thank you for fighting.
But how can we expect doctors to fight the system like this for decades - it's not possible. I hate the fact that American companies are buying up the British national health system - I've also seen examples of patients waiting and waiting and being sent in circles. My dad waited 6 months for his first cancer op (he died when I was 8). And yet no one dares to criticise the NHS, which is Our National Health Service and We Are Proud Of It. So much has been privatised by now that it's a total joke.
Wow. It's a disaster over there too, at times. Thanks for sharing. I am terrified of becoming ill. And not just for the suffering itself, but how the system might work against me, and how it would be so difficult and asking so much of my clinician to fight for me.
This is a beautiful end to this story, thanks to you and everyone who came together to make it possible 💕
I’m sorry it took so much from you, but I hope that if people like you continue to tell these stories that eventually enough information will saturate our society in the USA and paradigm change will be possible.
A few times a week I feel that I might be on the verge to lose the heart. It interestingly correlates to the timeline when a dirty martini is served....lol
I think the parents of this child don't either. But honestly, they don't have to understand or have any idea. They have enough to worry about. Which is why this kind of crazy system pits me against them -- all they know is I am part of a system, a group of people with privileges -- who are unable to help them the FIRST TIME THEY SAID "help"...
thank you dr. zha ❤️ i worked in an orthopedic surgery clinic doing PAs (and working claim denials) for years. the payors do not care about health or their customers, but they are able to dictate the medical care that patients receive.
although it should not even exist, i always share this organization because i so much believe in their work:
Zed Zha, MD! You must surely possess the engine (heart) of a moon mission rocket! Incredibly many pounds of thrust. And “all systems GO” when you spring into action. I am so happy that you write such profound posts/reports , hoping that more and more medical doctors from all areas of specialty practices will learn of your patient-driven ideas and solutions. And in the process become open to new (your) ideas, present papers at their annual or bi-annual conventions, and advocate for smarter, patient centered protocols of care. I see you as a shooting star! 🌌🌠
Thank you so much for writing. So many of us in healthcare want to share stories so the world sees just how uncaring the American healthcare system is...... but we're soooo exhausted just trying to show up for our patients. (no excuses, just truth) I am a RN in a short-staffed busy city hospital; I see the consequences of delayed care every single day. And when I worked in a community clinic, the staff fought like you are for every inch we could wrestle from the insurance companies. Thank you again. When I catch my breath, I will be following up on the outlines I've started as letters to the editors...
Attacking us from all angles so we wouldn't catch out breaths is exactly their strategy!! But Yes, I agree with Amy, you are the unsung hero of our broken system. You deserve more respect, higher pay, and more vacation!!
Nurses are the unsung heroes of our broken system. Thank you for what you do 🙏🏻
Thank you for advocating for this child. As a heath care provider, I feel that rage, too. Health care is so very challenging to provide, because of these rules. Thank you for maintaining your compassion. Hugs to YOU!
Hugs back!!! You get me 😭😭😭😭
Thank you for sharing this with us. And thank you for staying true to your oath and to the reasons why you worked so hard to become a physician. I am happy to say that now, 4.5 years into long COVID and after several “break-ups” I had to initiate with various doctors, I have finally assembled a team who have done or would do for me what you did for that family. Admittedly, I am privileged to have health insurance that does not require referrals, allowing me the freedom to break-up with any doc I need to. Anyway, thank you for having integrity 🧡
Thank you Dr Zha. And SHAME on the previous health care providers. As a nurse I say Shame on all of us who fail our patients. As Dr Zha wrote she became exhausted, frustrated, angry as many of us do. But that pales in comparison to the lived experiences of patients.
You hit exactly the point! I often feel all the emotions I feel and the length I go it's so small compared to what my patients go through. Imagine not speaking English, not knowing the system, being a new mom, not sleeping, trying so many thing...I'd go crazy.
This sounds absolutely horrendous. There are lots of problems in the Australian healthcare system, but prior authorisation ain't one! It's one of the reasons why I can't really countenance ever working in the US, even though when I was younger (before university) it had seemed like the likely place for me to go for college and to work in after graduation.
wise decision
Thank you! You are an extraordinary writer and human being!
You are a WARRIOR! Patients, too, are fed up with insurance companies who deny, deny, and deny again. A friend's daughter worked for a local company in which the staff (not medical personnel, mind you) were incentivized by the number of claims they denied. There's NOTHING right about this! Thank you on behalf of patients everywhere for fighting against this crazy, unfeeling system.
omg i knew it!!!
I’ve completely got the song stuck in my head now - but this was such a beautiful story that I’m fine with it!
I’m so glad the little one was able to finally get her medications - and I’m touched that so many people came together to help you find a way to save this life.
I wish it wasn’t necessary to rage and fight so hard - but since it is - I’m glad there are doctors like you doing the work!
Me too!! Yes I should take a note to myself to not use a song title as article title nxt time lol. I go to work and see like 35-40 patients a day and im not tired, I fight one "good fight" like this and Im exhausted!!!!
At least it’s a good song! And used in Grey’s Anatomy so it fits doubly well lol. Yes I’m a geek.
I can imagine fighting these good fights must take it out of you - but I’m sure your patients are forever grateful.
And not to brag but Meredith and I went to the same medical school 😎😎😎😎😎
Hahahaa you brag away! It’s allowed here!
Thank you for being the beautiful valiant angry fighter that hates injustice and needless cruelty Dr Zha
Ben Fields (BentoTexas) on Twitter/X
Beautiful valiant angry fighter might have become my new middle name haha!!
This was beautiful Zed! I couldn't help but think about my 3 yo as I read this 😭
😭😭😭😭thank you for reading 😭 I want to cry each time I think about this
Thank you for writing this - and thank you for fighting.
But how can we expect doctors to fight the system like this for decades - it's not possible. I hate the fact that American companies are buying up the British national health system - I've also seen examples of patients waiting and waiting and being sent in circles. My dad waited 6 months for his first cancer op (he died when I was 8). And yet no one dares to criticise the NHS, which is Our National Health Service and We Are Proud Of It. So much has been privatised by now that it's a total joke.
Wow. It's a disaster over there too, at times. Thanks for sharing. I am terrified of becoming ill. And not just for the suffering itself, but how the system might work against me, and how it would be so difficult and asking so much of my clinician to fight for me.
Wow....reading this inspired hope in me. You are a hero! and so are the group of people working to help this child! Thank you for your advocacy! 💫
Not at all but thank you for your kind words!!
This is a beautiful end to this story, thanks to you and everyone who came together to make it possible 💕
I’m sorry it took so much from you, but I hope that if people like you continue to tell these stories that eventually enough information will saturate our society in the USA and paradigm change will be possible.
I like your hopeful prospective!! It motivates me to keep going.
Wow. Thank you for doing what you do while still having a heart.
A few times a week I feel that I might be on the verge to lose the heart. It interestingly correlates to the timeline when a dirty martini is served....lol
So much respect for what you do and how you navigate it. Thank you for sharing your lived experience, I honestly had no idea it was like this.
I think the parents of this child don't either. But honestly, they don't have to understand or have any idea. They have enough to worry about. Which is why this kind of crazy system pits me against them -- all they know is I am part of a system, a group of people with privileges -- who are unable to help them the FIRST TIME THEY SAID "help"...
thank you dr. zha ❤️ i worked in an orthopedic surgery clinic doing PAs (and working claim denials) for years. the payors do not care about health or their customers, but they are able to dictate the medical care that patients receive.
although it should not even exist, i always share this organization because i so much believe in their work:
https://unduemedicaldebt.org/
Zed Zha, MD! You must surely possess the engine (heart) of a moon mission rocket! Incredibly many pounds of thrust. And “all systems GO” when you spring into action. I am so happy that you write such profound posts/reports , hoping that more and more medical doctors from all areas of specialty practices will learn of your patient-driven ideas and solutions. And in the process become open to new (your) ideas, present papers at their annual or bi-annual conventions, and advocate for smarter, patient centered protocols of care. I see you as a shooting star! 🌌🌠