anesthesologists charge for consults?

[art_teachermommy]

I'm a student doula. Last night myself and another certified doula went to meet with a client. She said that she showed her birth plan to her Doctor and his only problem with it was the 'No routine visits by the anesthesologist"
His reasoning was that they just like to come by and say hi, introduce himself, get information and look at their mouth (for intubation).
My question is...do the anesthesologists charge for this quick consult in the hospital? I can't imagine a doctor doing a consult...even a quick one...for free. It would make sense for the Ob/Gyn to push for clients to accept a 'consult'...even if they are planning a natural birth...in order to drum up more money.
Anyone know?

[nashvillemidwife]

What you describe isn't really a consultation. I don't think they would charge for that, it's part of their job duties that are included in the salary they are paid by the hospital.

[BetsyS]

Around here, they don't charge for that sort of thing. I've worked in a few hospitals, though, and in a couple, the anesthesiologists come around, and in a couple, they didn't.

The ones where the docs came around? Well, those tended to be the ones where they seemed to care a little bit more about the women they were taking care of.

I worked (as a new grad RN) in one hospital where no anesthesiologist came around if he/she wasn't being paid. If you called them and asked them to come for an epidural and phrased it, "So and so NEEDS an epidural," they would hang up on you. Because, of course, no one NEEDS an epidural. It's all completely voluntary, and women "should have known what they were in for when they got pregnant." UA Violations.

In another hospital where the anesthesiologists didn't come around prior, they had different standards of anesthesia for Medicaid and private insurance. Not legal. Not ethical. Especially because this group was adamant about being good Christians. Another set of UA Violations.

[art_teachermommy]

thanks nashville!...
We had discussed whether that was extra stuff or part of 'just what they do'


betsy...
very interesting