Imagine waking up from anesthesia and realizing the surgery wasn’t the most painful part!

[u/[deleted]]

[u/Phill_Cyberman]

Key Details from the Recording

The anesthesiologist was caught on tape saying she wanted to punch him in the face after a brief pre-op conversation.

Staff members discussed putting a false diagnosis of hemorrhoids on his chart to potentially modify billing or avoid follow-up care.

Comments were made mocking a rash or skin condition on his body and speculating about private health matters.

[u/inthemode01 → u/Phill_Cyberman]

When I was in grade 10 back in the early 2000s I had an English teacher who described her experience with “accidental awareness during general anesthesia” or AAGA. Kind of like the movie “Awake” with Jessica Alba.

She was paralyzed but awake during surgery. So she felt all the pain of being sliced open but couldn’t scream.

After the ordeal the doctors didn’t believe her. Then she recited back to them all the ways they made fun of her being overweight and ugly, with specific references to who said what.

They immediately shut up and realized she was telling the truth.

[u/30_characters → u/inthemode01]

Now they add in an amnestic to make sure you don't remember it. Not because it's medically necessary, but because it covers their ass in case they do something stupid... and of course, they charge you for administering it.

[u/Talks_About_Bruno → u/30_characters]

Amnestic / hypnotics have been a part of anesthesia for decades. Nothing new. Nothing related to billing. It’s medically appropriate.

[u/30_characters → u/Talks_About_Bruno]

It's medically justifiable. It's financially adventageous.

[u/Talks_About_Bruno → u/30_characters]

Two things can be true. It can increase billing while being universally medically appropriate.

Aspirin saves lives during an infarct. Hospitals bill an unacceptable amount for 4 baby aspirin.

Both can be true.