gym daycare issues

"Sarah Vaughan" wrote in message
...
Ericka Kammerer wrote:

I suppose I could call up and make a non urgent appointment with the
paediatrician - it just seems wrong to me, taking up the time of a
doctor I know is busy (when I called to book a well child visit, they
gave me an appointment 3 mths away), the my insurance paying out for it
(and if they didn't, me paying out for it!).

Oh, please. That's what they're there for.

Well, actually, what we're here for is to cure and/or prevent illness. The
bureaucratic crap is just a by-product of the job that we're stuck with.
I've never yet heard of anyone going for an interview at medical school
and answering the question "So why do you want to become a doctor?" with
"Because it's my life's ambition to spend my time writing permission
notes..."

Of course, in this case I don't think Anne's got a lot of choice. This is
what her gym are requesting (and there may even be some justification for
it in rare cases - most of the time this sort of stuff is a complete waste
of time, but I do appreciate that there are some rare immune problems that
might make it genuinely dangerous for a child to be in contact with
someone with a cold). And, as she says, she'll be paying the doctor for
his or her time - that's what the fee is for. However, having seen some
of the results of this whole growing 'get a note from your doctor'
culture, I'd like to see people a *little* less cavalier about assuming
that it's just part of the job so nobody needs to think twice about
whether or not it's appropriate.

Blame NHS direct. If you can get through to them within a reasonable time
they always tell you to go somewhere. I got (after waiting 6 hours for them
to call me back) that I should take #1 (aged about 10 months) to A & E (at
11pm Friday night!!) with a mild fever when what I really wanted to know was
could I give calpol and ibroprofin at the same time...
Debbie
Ps and then you've got the person who phones out of hours at 2am Boxing day
with an ingrowing toenail (true story-I know the dr. they spoke to)

Sarah Vaughan wrote:
Ericka Kammerer wrote:

I suppose I could call up and make a non urgent appointment with the
paediatrician - it just seems wrong to me, taking up the time of a
doctor I know is busy (when I called to book a well child visit, they
gave me an appointment 3 mths away), the my insurance paying out for
it (and if they didn't, me paying out for it!).

Oh, please. That's what they're there for.

Well, actually, what we're here for is to cure and/or prevent illness.
The bureaucratic crap is just a by-product of the job that we're stuck
with. I've never yet heard of anyone going for an interview at medical
school and answering the question "So why do you want to become a
doctor?" with "Because it's my life's ambition to spend my time writing
permission notes..."

True, but there are annoyances like that with every
profession. In the US, the only one who can cough up a doctor's
note is a doctor ;-) (well, or a nurse practitioner, or some other
suitable substitute, depending on the situation). So, ultimately,
it *is* the doctor's job and at least part of what they're there
for, even if it isn't necessarily the highest expression of their
art ;-) I'm pretty sure I didn't sign up for my job in order to
do quite a few of the things that take up a substantive part of
my work hours, but c'est la vie. (I do sympathize with the annoyance
at the inefficiency.)

Of course, in this case I don't think Anne's got a lot of choice. This
is what her gym are requesting (and there may even be some justification
for it in rare cases - most of the time this sort of stuff is a complete
waste of time, but I do appreciate that there are some rare immune
problems that might make it genuinely dangerous for a child to be in
contact with someone with a cold). And, as she says, she'll be paying
the doctor for his or her time - that's what the fee is for. However,
having seen some of the results of this whole growing 'get a note from
your doctor' culture, I'd like to see people a *little* less cavalier
about assuming that it's just part of the job so nobody needs to think
twice about whether or not it's appropriate.

By and large, I don't know *anyone* who runs to get a doctor's
note unless it's being demanded by someone else. There are, obviously,
organizations that have harebrained policies that require too much of
doctors. Here, courtesy of NCLB, I have to get a doctor's note if
my child misses more than three contiguous days of school (and that
requires an office visit, not just a record check). I think it's
ridiculous, but don't have a lot of choice in the matter. I'll be
the first to suggest there are major issues with our healthcare
system, but as it stands, this is the way it is and if you need a
note, you can't afford to sit around wringing your hands over
inconveniencing the doctor's office.

Best wishes,
Ericka

In article , Ericka Kammerer
says...

Sarah Vaughan wrote:
Ericka Kammerer wrote:

I suppose I could call up and make a non urgent appointment with the
paediatrician - it just seems wrong to me, taking up the time of a
doctor I know is busy (when I called to book a well child visit, they
gave me an appointment 3 mths away), the my insurance paying out for
it (and if they didn't, me paying out for it!).

Oh, please. That's what they're there for.

Well, actually, what we're here for is to cure and/or prevent illness.
The bureaucratic crap is just a by-product of the job that we're stuck
with. I've never yet heard of anyone going for an interview at medical
school and answering the question "So why do you want to become a
doctor?" with "Because it's my life's ambition to spend my time writing
permission notes..."

True, but there are annoyances like that with every
profession.

Yeah, I didn't get to answer "I want to be an engineer so that I can spend all
my time writing progress reports and collect assure-the-mangement data on issues
well understood and resolved..." :-)

In the US, the only one who can cough up a doctor's
note is a doctor ;-) (well, or a nurse practitioner, or some other
suitable substitute, depending on the situation). So, ultimately,
it *is* the doctor's job and at least part of what they're there
for, even if it isn't necessarily the highest expression of their
art ;-) I'm pretty sure I didn't sign up for my job in order to
do quite a few of the things that take up a substantive part of
my work hours, but c'est la vie. (I do sympathize with the annoyance
at the inefficiency.)

It may be worthwhile to ask why ever little venue kids are in demands doctors
notes. It's a combination of parental expectations (the no-sick child rule
needing enforcement), legit needs to the venue (camps needing to know medical
histories), and our litigous society.

Most physicians have offices, and part of the job of staff is to deal with the
notes. Usually, they're based on a recent examination rather than a new
examination.


Of course, in this case I don't think Anne's got a lot of choice. This
is what her gym are requesting (and there may even be some justification
for it in rare cases - most of the time this sort of stuff is a complete
waste of time, but I do appreciate that there are some rare immune
problems that might make it genuinely dangerous for a child to be in
contact with someone with a cold). And, as she says, she'll be paying
the doctor for his or her time - that's what the fee is for. However,
having seen some of the results of this whole growing 'get a note from
your doctor' culture, I'd like to see people a *little* less cavalier
about assuming that it's just part of the job so nobody needs to think
twice about whether or not it's appropriate.

By and large, I don't know *anyone* who runs to get a doctor's
note unless it's being demanded by someone else. There are, obviously,
organizations that have harebrained policies that require too much of
doctors. Here, courtesy of NCLB, I have to get a doctor's note if
my child misses more than three contiguous days of school (and that
requires an office visit, not just a record check). I think it's
ridiculous, but don't have a lot of choice in the matter. I'll be
the first to suggest there are major issues with our healthcare
system, but as it stands, this is the way it is and if you need a
note, you can't afford to sit around wringing your hands over
inconveniencing the doctor's office.

Yep.

Banty

Banty wrote:

It may be worthwhile to ask why ever little venue kids are in demands doctors
notes. It's a combination of parental expectations (the no-sick child rule
needing enforcement), legit needs to the venue (camps needing to know medical
histories), and our litigous society.

And a bunch of other pesky things, some more legitimate than
others. It's not just little kids, either. College professors
often require doctors' notes too ;-)

Most physicians have offices, and part of the job of staff is to deal with the
notes. Usually, they're based on a recent examination rather than a new
examination.

The school/camp/sports medical forms usually are. Things
like certifying that a child was or was not sick at a particular
point in time (barring ongoing conditions) often do require an
actual visit--with at least this mom going kicking and screaming.
I thought it was ridiculous that I had to drag two infectious
kids to the doctor's office to get a note saying they had chicken
pox and were going to be out a while...and then another note saying
one was no longer contagious so he could go on a field trip!

Best wishes,
Ericka

In article , Ericka Kammerer
says...

Banty wrote:

It may be worthwhile to ask why ever little venue kids are in demands doctors
notes. It's a combination of parental expectations (the no-sick child rule
needing enforcement), legit needs to the venue (camps needing to know medical
histories), and our litigous society.

And a bunch of other pesky things, some more legitimate than
others. It's not just little kids, either. College professors
often require doctors' notes too ;-)

College professors??!?

WHY!?

What has changed in the past (um...) 30 years? College age is adulthood pretty
much IMO. If you're sick, and you can't make classes, you figure out how to
learn the material anyway. College professors take attendance?


Most physicians have offices, and part of the job of staff is to deal with the
notes. Usually, they're based on a recent examination rather than a new
examination.

The school/camp/sports medical forms usually are. Things
like certifying that a child was or was not sick at a particular
point in time (barring ongoing conditions) often do require an
actual visit--with at least this mom going kicking and screaming.
I thought it was ridiculous that I had to drag two infectious
kids to the doctor's office to get a note saying they had chicken
pox and were going to be out a while...and then another note saying
one was no longer contagious so he could go on a field trip!

Arrrgh. My son was diagnosed with the chicken pox over the phone, exactly for
the reason they really didn't want him in their office. But then, he was only
four.

Banty

Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Banty wrote:

It may be worthwhile to ask why ever little venue kids are in demands doctors
notes. It's a combination of parental expectations (the no-sick child rule
needing enforcement), legit needs to the venue (camps needing to know medical
histories), and our litigous society.

And a bunch of other pesky things, some more legitimate than
others. It's not just little kids, either. College professors
often require doctors' notes too ;-)

Yes, when I took some education courses at the local college, the prof
told us that we would have to make up classes that we missed even for
illness, and that we would have to have a note from our mother if we
were ill. I said my mother lived 100 miles away, so the prof said
then a note from your husband. Well my husband was deployed. I told
her that I had a 16 year old daughter, and I'd get her to write me a
note. Fortunately I never needed one.

Banty wrote:
In article , Ericka Kammerer
says...
Banty wrote:

It may be worthwhile to ask why ever little venue kids are in demands doctors
notes. It's a combination of parental expectations (the no-sick child rule
needing enforcement), legit needs to the venue (camps needing to know medical
histories), and our litigous society.
And a bunch of other pesky things, some more legitimate than
others. It's not just little kids, either. College professors
often require doctors' notes too ;-)

College professors??!?

WHY!?

Because they've heard too many "I missed the final because
I was sick" excuses and they have gotten a bit suspicious.

What has changed in the past (um...) 30 years? College age is adulthood pretty
much IMO. If you're sick, and you can't make classes, you figure out how to
learn the material anyway. College professors take attendance?

Actually, some do. Between the helicopter parents and
ornery folks of various sorts, some professors have felt the need
to document students' participation in class (or lack thereof).

The school/camp/sports medical forms usually are. Things
like certifying that a child was or was not sick at a particular
point in time (barring ongoing conditions) often do require an
actual visit--with at least this mom going kicking and screaming.
I thought it was ridiculous that I had to drag two infectious
kids to the doctor's office to get a note saying they had chicken
pox and were going to be out a while...and then another note saying
one was no longer contagious so he could go on a field trip!

Arrrgh. My son was diagnosed with the chicken pox over the phone, exactly for
the reason they really didn't want him in their office. But then, he was only
four.

Oh, the doctors would have been happy to take my word for
it. The school, however, had to have a doctor's note because they
were out for more than three consecutive days and they're required
to document those absences in that fashion.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Banty" wrote in message
...
In article , Ericka Kammerer
says...

Banty wrote:

It may be worthwhile to ask why ever little venue kids are in demands
doctors
notes. It's a combination of parental expectations (the no-sick child
rule
needing enforcement), legit needs to the venue (camps needing to know
medical
histories), and our litigous society.

And a bunch of other pesky things, some more legitimate than
others. It's not just little kids, either. College professors
often require doctors' notes too ;-)

College professors??!?

WHY!?

What has changed in the past (um...) 30 years? College age is adulthood
pretty
much IMO. If you're sick, and you can't make classes, you figure out how
to
learn the material anyway. College professors take attendance?



My father was a college professor. Shortly before his retirement, he was
lamenting that you cannot expect near adult behavior out of college
students. The parents, the administration, the students themselves all
behaved in a manner that made it clear that college behavior was closer to
what my father remembered of junior high. He was disgusted.



Most physicians have offices, and part of the job of staff is to deal
with the
notes. Usually, they're based on a recent examination rather than a
new
examination.

The school/camp/sports medical forms usually are. Things
like certifying that a child was or was not sick at a particular
point in time (barring ongoing conditions) often do require an
actual visit--with at least this mom going kicking and screaming.
I thought it was ridiculous that I had to drag two infectious
kids to the doctor's office to get a note saying they had chicken
pox and were going to be out a while...and then another note saying
one was no longer contagious so he could go on a field trip!

Arrrgh. My son was diagnosed with the chicken pox over the phone, exactly
for
the reason they really didn't want him in their office. But then, he was
only
four.

Banty

On Wed, 04 Jul 2007 15:39:31 GMT, Rosalie B. wrote:

Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Banty wrote:

It may be worthwhile to ask why ever little venue kids are in demands doctors
notes. It's a combination of parental expectations (the no-sick child rule
needing enforcement), legit needs to the venue (camps needing to know medical
histories), and our litigous society.

And a bunch of other pesky things, some more legitimate than
others. It's not just little kids, either. College professors
often require doctors' notes too ;-)

Yes, when I took some education courses at the local college, the prof
told us that we would have to make up classes that we missed even for
illness, and that we would have to have a note from our mother if we
were ill. I said my mother lived 100 miles away, so the prof said
then a note from your husband. Well my husband was deployed. I told
her that I had a 16 year old daughter, and I'd get her to write me a
note. Fortunately I never needed one.

That's ridiculous. I don't think I ever took a class where attendence was
mandatory. I mean, if I missed my labs, I'd likely fail, becuase I can't
do the labwork without being there. However, attendance itself was not
taken.

toypup wrote:

On Wed, 04 Jul 2007 15:39:31 GMT, Rosalie B. wrote:

Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Banty wrote:

It may be worthwhile to ask why ever little venue kids are in demands doctors
notes. It's a combination of parental expectations (the no-sick child rule
needing enforcement), legit needs to the venue (camps needing to know medical
histories), and our litigous society.

And a bunch of other pesky things, some more legitimate than
others. It's not just little kids, either. College professors
often require doctors' notes too ;-)

Yes, when I took some education courses at the local college, the prof
told us that we would have to make up classes that we missed even for
illness, and that we would have to have a note from our mother if we
were ill. I said my mother lived 100 miles away, so the prof said
then a note from your husband. Well my husband was deployed. I told
her that I had a 16 year old daughter, and I'd get her to write me a
note. Fortunately I never needed one.

That's ridiculous. I don't think I ever took a class where attendence was
mandatory. I mean, if I missed my labs, I'd likely fail, becuase I can't
do the labwork without being there. However, attendance itself was not
taken.

Yes it was ridiculous. But it was a small class (maybe 12-15 people)
and it would be obvious if you missed the class without taking roll.
Class attendance was one of the requirements of the class. And if you
DID miss class for whatever reason, if it was an 'excused absence',
you could make up the class. If it was unexcused then you could not.