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Tretyakovskii · Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 462 Location: Cancun, Mexico

Nobody seemed interested in my suggestion to discuss IMSS in a seperate thread, but I will. Guy asked,

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I was pretty down on IMSS when I first arrived here, purely on the horror stories of other people. A family member of my ex-wife's was left completely paralyzed due to a serious screw up on the part of an IMSS doctor in Veracruz. But, I realize there are always going to be such stories and exceptions to the rule.

Now that I'm a father of two making use of IMSS, I agree with your assessment. The quality of care is good, but the system is overburdened. We've used them for vaccinations (great level of care and service), regular child check-ups (decent level of care), and pre-natal mommy check-ups (unimpressive level of care).

I remain leery of IMSS at critical levels of care though. I don't think we would go to them if a very serious health emergency arose.

One doesn't automatically think of it, but daycare is an important part of the IMSS package. We're happy with the service our daughter is getting at our local IMSS daycare.

Tretyakovskii · Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 462 Location: Cancun, Mexico

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Following that thought, one thing I wasn't aware of before is that many IMSS doctors only work there part time. They also work at private hospitals, clinics, and in their own practices. Many do so in order to qualify for a better government pension package.

So while you might think to head to the most expensive hospital in the land expecting a top doctor, you're just as likely to find him or her at an IMSS facility - though not necessarily by request.

MotherF · Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 5:51 pm Post subject:

I'm very happy with my IMSS coverage (through employer) I live in a small city and the hospital is still classified as "rural" and way to small for the population, which is the main problem. I'd hate to think of what we'd do in a serious trama, because their ER is really really basic.

IMSS (and ISSTE) runs three shifts so yes, the doctors often have a private practice outside of their IMSS shift time. What IMSS pays is not really competitive, but the long term benefits are top notch (similiar to public school teachers).

I don't really like this aspect, but I've found that as a foriegner, I can see I get treated better than the people before or after me. Also when I was in the hosptial after my c-section, a student nurse asked the nurse why I got X pain killer but the woman next to be who also had a c-section only got Y pain killer. The answer was that I was la asegurada and the other woman was on seguro popular.

I'm also in favor of using IMSS for as much as possible, because the doctors do not gain finacially from my being sick. I've found that private doctors here seem to want to "keep customers coming back" so they don't promote health, but the treatment of illness. Same goes for the Similiares folks where a doctor who works there confided that they are actually pushed to prescribe as many things as possible because the company profits from drug sales not from doctor visits.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

The whole experience of doctor shopping or having to consider that some are pill-pushers was completely alien to me as a Canadian...I imagine it's something you Americans are more used to.

I've seen some quack private docs here to be sure. We did luck out with the private doctor that delivered both our children. My mother works in health care in Canada and was also impressed with her level of care.

It seems reasonable to think that Similares doctors would push everything they can from the pharmacy, but my experience with them has been otherwise. My daughter needed antibiotics for a throat infection...twice. Both IMSS and Simi prescribed the exact same meds.

Good thread BTW...lots of info

BadBeagleBad · Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:41 pm Post subject:

Tretyakovskii · Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 462 Location: Cancun, Mexico

New Haven · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 52 Location: Merida, Mexico

I used IMSS during my first go-round in Merida 2006-2009. They were fine for routine check ups. Not so fine for dealing with what turned out to be a rather rare neuromuscular disorder. I don't fault my IMSS practioner for failing to properly diagnose the problem, but rather for listening to my explanation of the symptoms and nonetheless insisting thatwhat I had was a circulation problem. Persistent numbness in legs, weakening of muscles, leading to difficulty in walking -- all of this unfolded over a period of 6 months or so and involved two IMSS visits ---yet I could not convince my PCP that I had a neuromuscular problem. It was obvious. Even I knew that.

Actually she may well have known that, but the "rules" required that I first see an angiologist. If that didn't work, then I could eventually see a neurologist. I returned to the US where I was properly diagnosed and treated.

IMSS is the governmental bureacracy writ small. One must jump through hoops and work one's way up the ladder in order to receive a response appropriate to the situation. But by then you may be half dead.

Sharon

MotherF · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 2:48 pm Post subject:

In my opinion it's also very important to keep in mind that your primary care phsycian at IMSS is not really a "doctor". He or She is a medic, with a Bachelor's degree in Medicine. Only the specialists have graduate level studies.

New Haven · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 52 Location: Merida, Mexico

I had no idea, MotherF. Thanks for the information. That explains a lot.

Sharon