Covid has all but destroyed in/person medical care.

Summary

The author expresses frustration over the over-reliance on virtual medical appointments in place of in-person consultations since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

The author of the article, presumably a patient, recounts multiple personal experiences where medical professionals opted for virtual consultations instead of traditional in-person visits, even in situations that seemed to warrant physical examination. These experiences include dealing with an ear infection, a nervous breakdown, and a child's grief counseling, among others. The author argues that the shift to virtual healthcare has led to a depersonalized medical experience, lacking the human interaction and reassurance that patients need, especially during times of medical distress. Despite the convenience and necessity of virtual appointments during the height of the pandemic, the author emphasizes the importance of physical human interaction in healthcare, suggesting that not all aspects of medical care should be relegated to the digital realm.

Opinions

The author believes that the overuse of virtual appointments is an "embarrassment" to the medical profession.
There is a strong sentiment that certain medical conditions, such as an ear infection, require physical examination rather than just a virtual consultation.
The author feels that the lack of in-person psychiatric care is inadequate, especially during times of severe mental distress.
The article suggests that the shift to virtual healthcare is not just a pandemic precaution but a potential new normal that the author finds unsatisfactory.
The author is concerned about the impersonal nature of virtual appointments, particularly in situations where human empathy and connection are crucial.
There is a sense of betrayal or abandonment by healthcare providers who have shifted to virtual consultations, as the author has a long-standing relationship with their provider.
The author implies that while technology has its place, it cannot replace the need for human touch and presence in healthcare.
The author is skeptical about the future of healthcare, hinting at the potential for further depersonalization through AI and other technologies.
The author points out the irony that while some aspects of life, like work, are returning to in-person interactions, healthcare seems to be lagging behind.

Hey DOCTORS, stop using COVID-19 to avoid In-person appointments!

It’s an embarrassment.

Without exaggeration, I can assure you that since the start of the pandemic, I have not seen a doctor’s face that wasn’t on a screen.

Let’s see, I had an ear infection this year and apparently, it’s not necessary to actually look in my ear anymore.

I had what can only be described as some sort of nervous breakdown during the pandemic, and because I couldn’t get any real help, I walked into the emergency room.

After laying on a stretcher half naked in the hallway for 2 hours, they wheeled out a psychiatrist on a video screen! I couldn’t believe it, answering personal questions in front of my 2 guards (I might hurt myself) and a couple who had a sick child. No doctor in the entire hospital would speak with me. After my video chat, I said goodbye to all my new friends, numbers were exchanged, I got dressed, and left feeling humiliated and hopeless.

Earlier this year my wife and I finally got hit hard with covid. My wife’s chest hurt and it scared her, so she eventually called the doctor. More screen time and a prescription for an inhaler.

I have a psychiatrist I really love that I check in with from time to time. Over the years my appointments were always in her office. Ever since 2020, we have not met even once in person. Video and telephone calls are the norm, which I suppose is fine as long as she keeps writing prescriptions.

Even my child who was grieving over a deceased relative talked to a therapist through our laptop, they won’t even meet a child in person.

Is this really our new normal? What’s next? Some cold AI psychiatrist questioning me about my feelings? Yea, in fact, that’s coming….

Maybe it’s my healthcare provider, and maybe you, dear reader, have continued to actually see a doctor’s office. In that case, you may be tempted to wonder, why not just change your healthcare provider? Rarely do seemingly simple questions have simple answers.

A father complains about the crime in his family’s shitty neighborhood and some privileged smartass says “Why don’t you just move then?”

For starters, you don’t have control of the coverage your employer chooses, and besides, I’ve had this provider since high school. My whole family is covered by this provider.

That’s not really the point though. Human beings are social creatures, and even though we are addicted to our gadgets, we need human interaction and reassurance when it comes to medical concerns. Not everything should be done online because we live through a pandemic.

You can meet a woman online but you can’t make love to her online….yet.

Take homeschooling for the little ones. During the height of Covid, it seemed reasonable. It was a disaster. Kids need to learn together and socialize, not sit at home looking at squares on a laptop.

It’s time doctors started physically examining our ailments, rather than having us try to describe them on a screen. My ear fucking hurts, CAN YOU LOOK INSIDE IT!?

It has crossed my mind that I’m just getting old and need to get with the program. Maybe you have to be dying to see a doctor. Maybe I need to have multiple personalities to see a psychiatrist.

We have new employees who practically demand hybrid work now, and when you refuse, they quit!

Covid, you bastard.