'You're not God': Doctors and patient families say HCA hospitals push hospice care

[maliaSmith]

14. Hospice care

My feelings for Hospice care is different. My sister got cancer due to her doctor telling her at age 65, she didn't need to continue to have a PAP exam every year. My doctor also told me, that they don't recommend women past age 65 continuing to have a PAP exam yearly. At age 75 my sister found a lump in her private area, went to PP, had a test and was found to have cancer. After diagnosis, it was found to be stage 4. Had her doctor not told her to stop having her PAP yearly, she would still be here. Hospice was wonderful and allowed us to bring her home to have family and friends around when she passed. Some people have had bad experience with the issue of Hospice and death, but let's not forget how wonderful they are helping families. I'm so glad this woman recovered, and also glad she got the care she needed to recover. Doctors aren't Gods, they do make mistakes and I think they honestly thought this woman was going to die.
I talked to my doctor about still continuing PAP exams at my age, 75, and she said she didn't recommend it even after I told her about my sister. I went over my doctor's head, contacted my insurance company and they asked why I hadn't been getting my exams. I told them what my doctor said, and my insurance company told me to get my PAP yearly which I'm now doing. I don't even talk to my doctor anymore about it. I go to another doctor for my exam. I think doctors don't care about old people. We cost them too much since they can't gauge us since we're on Medicare.