Bose: good service. United Health: irritating.

[drscott]

My Bose mobile on-ear headphones with microphone for iPhone calling work well, but last week the music suddenly became one-channel (or less.) Traced it to a spot in the cable near the microphone. Called them today and they said since it's in warranty (8 months into a one-year term) they'll send out a new cable, though it may be a few weeks since it's back-ordered. Good job, and the rep actually was, um, a native English speaker, which made it much less frustrating.

On the other hand, United Health robocalled today asking for Paul. I told the machine I was not him. It then told me to take the message he should call another number to "update his information." So I called that (we impersonate each other all the time!) and keyed and spoke reassurances that no, his partner was not covered by another policy, an annual ritual. Sigh.

Comments

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

Well, here's the problem: oversight won't help. I don't know about your mother's situation, but no amount of certification and regulation can substitute for competence, familiarity, and caring. One of the bad things about the medical system we have is the way it passivizes the patient; when you had a physician who knew you and took care of you for years, you could almost let go and assume you'd be well taken care of, but with personnel rotating in and out, caregivers are cogs in a system. In such a system only the patient can know enough to track the details and ask for second opinions. Since most patients are trained to passively accept what they are told, this means important clues get lost and continuity of care is missing. Nothing about the current plans for healthcare reform really touches the problem; but perhaps the e-record initiative will help. And there is silence on the mixed record of the Massachusetts effort to date, which greatly reduced the number of uninsured but is costing more than the state can afford, in only its second year.