In triaging, patient complaints are first handled by a nurse, who screens the patients for the type of symptoms they have , then decides whether they need an appointment . Patients are often unhappy with the limited choices of physicians and services within these organizations. Some patients are referred to specialists their primary care physicians know little about. A recent Louis Harris poll showed consistently lower ratings by managed care patients in accessibility to services, emergency care, ease of changing doctors, choice of doctors, and quality of doctors compared with patients in traditional health plans. In the recent presidential debate between Dole and Clinton, when asked how many were satisfied with managed care, only a handful raised their hands.
Many physicians are unhappy with managed care.
This cause loss of morale, increase drug use, growing frustrations, and early retirement for many physicians. A recent AMA survey found that an overwhelming majority of physicians felt that the increase in managed care has a negative impact on physicians' clinical independence, the amount of time spent justifying clinical decisions, the patient-physician relationship, and the quality of care. Managed care is not for everybody. But for those who do not mind the limitations within the system, it may be a way to save a few dollars. With the passage of time, it is possible that people may gradually get used to managed care, but then, they may not. .