I’m going to the local NHS medical centre on Monday - I tripped over a root 3 weeks ago and my little finger still hurts (can’t curl fully, pain, slight reddening of skin). I expect I broke a bone, though it didn’t feel like it at the time, else I’d have gone to the doctors right away.
I am concerned that as the NHS is coming to the end of the financial year, they may refrain from x-raying my hand for budgetary reasons when they would have done so were this in late April. This is the U.K., BTW, and the NHS is state-funded.
Should I raise the issue of doing an x-ray and if they demur for an unsatisfactory reason, should I insist and flat-out ask them if it’s for budgetary reasons?
A further bit of background: long ago, I had a similar issue with my dentist: he initially refused an x-ray, I insisted, and the result was that we found that my wisdom teeth were impacting.
I dunno Bosda it looks like Quartz has erected a giant strawman of an OP. FWIW I broke a pinkie a few years ago with symptons very similar to above, and my GP referred me to hospital for an X-ray. Sure enough, there was a minor fracture. The hospital said that there wasn’t very much they could do, not for reasons of cost, but that there literally wasn’t anything they could do. Mine was so minor that it was OK to leave it, but I guess that strapping it to the next finger for a week or two might be an option.
X-rays should be ordered by a physician or similar provider when said provider deems them medically necessary to help more accurately establish proper diagnosis or treatment for a given clinical situation.
The number of unnecessary x-rays ordered by health professionals far exceeds the number of necessary x-rays not ordered by health professionals.
Strawman? I’m concerned about not getting proper examination because of budget concerns. Remember that without pushing, I would have had a prior incident.
I’m not a doctor and I know nothing about your prior incident, but I do have extensive experience with broken fingers. Specifically, my own broken fingers.
In my own personal experiences, an x-ray was ordered only once out of the four times I managed to break a finger. Most of the exam was stick out your hands, now make a fist type of thing, along with some pressing and touching by the doctor, followed by a frog or baseball splint, or some extensive finger taping and the occasional arm sling to keep my hand elevated.
I was paying for my own treatment in a private emergent care center each time. They could have easily managed to get another $125 out of me by telling me that I needed an x-ray. In fact, I remember being some what insistent about having an x-ray the first two times, only to be repeatedly told that I didn’t need one. The one time it was ordered was because my finger was at a bit of an angle.
Quartz is asking what to do in case of a certain scenario that (warranted or not), is a possibility in his/her mind. Quartz then provides some context for the question.
Quartz describes his unfortunate pinkie problem and assumes completely out of hand (heh) that budgetary problems may be a concern for his local medical service. With absolutely no evidence because he hasn’t even been there yet! Gee, what is that a man of straw?
Maybe you missed the bit where I detailed my earlier experience? Maybe you missed the bit where I point out that we’re at the end of the budgetary period and the place is state-funded?
I’m also from the UK and I fully appreciate Quartz’s concerns.
Our NHS has to be seen to be believed
An X-Ray should only cost the consumables, which are trivial, but there is probably some daft and spurious accounting system.
I would approach this along the lines of: ‘what is the treatment if it is broken ? Now what is the treatment if it is not broken ?’ That should put them on the spot.
Incidentally, you were fortunate with the wisdom teeth, when they go wrong it can be hell.
Having broken my share of small bones in my day, my experience is that there’s not much use for x-rays of broken fingers, toes, or even ribs. Unless there are complications down the road, there’s absolutely no difference in treatment whether you have a break or a bad bruise. There’s no much you can do besides immobilize and treat the pain and swelling.
