Note – Although this entry is dated November 30, I wrote it later and adjusted the publish date so it would come up in the right order in this written saga.  The other entries were posted when they were written.

Let me take a minute to lay some groundwork. I am recapping the details of what The Droning Voice is going through since they found a mass on her pancreas. I want to shed light on the systemic but avoidable shortcomings of current healthcare administration where she lives.

I’ve had long talks with a lot of doctors, and it is becoming obvious where the problem lies.  To some extent (not ready to put a metric on this) doctors are at the mercy of their administrators and other Corporate Overlords.  In a word, scheduling.  But also critical misinformation.  The result is a completely avoidable emotional and healthcare service roller-coaster where the lives of loved ones are in the balance.  I believe this is the result of management practices knowingly selected to place the success of the corporate entity and their principals above the well-being of patients.  I am guessing this is in direct conflict with their stated missions but I admit I am making assumptions about their stated missions.  So if you ask where my frustration lies, it is with (but not limited to) organizations with these names:

• Ascension St. John Jane Phillips Medical Center
• Primary Care Associates (PCA)
• Utica Park Clinic (UPC)
• Oklahoma Cancer Specialists and Research Institute (OCSRI)
• Gastroenterology Specialists Inc (GSI)

Let me reiterate, my beef is not with doctors and nurses (except in one or two isolated cases).  My beef is with the organizations that write their paychecks and their principals.

Welcome to Healthcare Hell.