2005-09-20
ESLPodcast 45
A Visit to the Doctor
Going to the doctor is never particularly pleasant for me. But I couldn't put it off any longer. It was time
for my annual physical, and there was no getting around it. So I picked up the phone and called for an
appointment. "I'd like to see Dr. Shimoya next week, please, if that's possible," I said. Of course, it
wasn't possible. The doctor was booked until next month, the receptionist told me. "Okay," I said, "let's
schedule it for next month.‚"
When the day arrives, I drive over to the doctor and check-in at the receptionist desk. I have to present
my HMO card and pay the co-pay of $15.00. The receptionist instructs me to go to waiting room B,
down the hall, first door on the right. So I go there and take a seat to wait. And wait. And wait. Finally,
my name is called and I go into see the doctor. The nurse weighs me, takes my temperature and blood
pressure, and asks me why I'm there. I tell her it's time for my yearly check-up. She tells me to follow
her to the examination room, and then to strip down to my underwear. Now I'm sitting on the exam
table, half-freezing, waiting for the doctor to show up. Finally, he walks in, looks at my chart, and begins
his examination. "Breathe," he says, as he places the stethoscope on my chest. "Breathe in and out
slowly," he says. I do so. Then he checks my throat and has me lay down to check my abdomen. Finally,
he orders a blood test and says, "Well, you're good for another year, Mr. McQuillan." Thank goodness, I
think to myself, and get dressed to leave.
Script by Dr. Jeff McQuillan
© Center for Educational Development, Inc. 2005-2018
Vocabulary Notes
particularly [BrE pəˈtɪkjələli; NAmE pərˈtɪkjələrli] adv especially; more than usual or more than others,
e.g. Traffic is bad, particularly in the city centre. The lecture was not particularly (= not very) interesting.;
рус. очень, чрезвычайно; особенно, в особенности
to put sth off [ʹpʋtʹɒf] phr v to change something to a later time or date, e.g. We've had to put off our
wedding until September.; to put off doing sth, e.g. He keeps putting off going to the dentist.; рус. откладывать, отсрочивать
annual physical [ˈænjuəl ˈfɪzɪkl] (also physical examination) a happening or done once every year
medical examination of a person’s body, for example, to check that they are fit enough to do a particular
job, e.g. He was accepted onto the course after passing the physical. Pilots undergo routine physicals.;
рус. ежегодное медицинское обследование; ежегодная диспансеризация (также распространён
термин скри́нинг от англ. screening — массовое обследование)
1
to get round/around sth phr v to deal with a problem successfully, e.g. A clever lawyer might find a way
of getting round that clause.; рус. обходить (закон, вопрос и т. п.); заставить сделать что-л. по-своему
I'd like to see (sb) рус. Я хотел бы записаться на приём (зд. к врачу)
to be booked [bi ˈbʊkt] рус. быть занятым; зд. нет записи к врачу
a receptionist [rɪˈsepʃənɪst] n [countable] a person whose job is to deal with people arriving at or
telephoning a doctor’s surgery, a hotel, an office building, etc.; рус. регистратор (в больнице, клинике,
гостинице и т. п.); секретарь, ведущий приём посетителей (в учреждении, коммерческом предприятии)
to check in (at…) phr v to go to a desk in a doctor’s surgery, a hotel, an airport, etc. and tell an official
there that you have arrived; рус. записываться на приём (к врачу); регистрироваться (в гостинице,
на собрании и т. п.)
HMO [ˌeɪtʃ ɛm ˈoʊ] n [countable] (acronym for Health Maintenance Organization) a US medical
insurance system, either public or private, with its own hospitals and doctors. Customers make regular
payments each month or year and can then receive treatment from HMO doctors and hospital; мед.,
амер. страховая медицинская организация (страховая компания) (предлагает клиентам заранее
оплаченный план доступа к медицинским услугам; медицинское страхование в США может
покрывать до 80% расходов в зависимости от плана страхования)
co-pay [BrE kəʊˈpeɪ; NAmE koʊˈpeɪ] n a fixed out-of-pocket amount paid by an insured for covered
services. It is a standard part of many health insurance plans. Insurance providers often charge co-pays
for services such as doctor visits or prescriptions drugs. Co-pays are a specified dollar amount rather
than a percentage of the bill, and they usually paid at the time of service.; рус. дополнительная плата
(в соответствии с условиями договора страхования)
a waiting room n [countable] a room provided for the use of people who are waiting to be seen by a
doctor or dentist or who are waiting in a station for a bus or train; рус. 1. приёмная (врача); 2. зал
ожидания (на вокзале)
down the hall, first door on the right рус. по коридору, первая дверь справа
a name is called рус. вызывать по имени (фамилии)
to weigh [weɪ] v [transitive] weigh sb/sth/yourself to measure how heavy sb/sth is, usually by using
scales; рус. 1. взвешивать; 2. взвешиваться (тж. to weigh oneself); 3. весить, e.g. How much do you
weigh? — Какой у вас вес?
to take one's temperature and blood pressure рус. измерять температуру и кровяное давление
yearly check-up [BrE ˈjɪəli ˈtʃek ʌp, ˈjɜːli ˈtʃek ʌp; NAmE ˈjɪrli ˈtʃek ʌp] n рус. ежегодный осмотр
an examination room [ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃn ruːm] n [countable] мед. кабинет для исследований, процедурная, смотровая (смотровой кабинет)
to strip down to one's underwear рус. раздеться до нательного (нижнего) белья
an exam table мед. стол для осмотра (обследования) больного
to show up рус. показаться врачу для осмотра и диагностики (дать врачу осмотреть себя)
a (medical) chart [BrE tʃɑːt; NAmE tʃɑːrt] n [countable] the terms medical record, health record, and
medical chart are used somewhat interchangeably to describe the systematic documentation of a single
patient's medical history and care across time within one particular health care provider's jurisdiction;
мед. медицинская карта
a stethoscope [ˈsteθəskəʊp] n [countable] an instrument that a doctor uses to listen to somebody’s
heart and breathing; мед. стетоскоп [современная практическая медицина использует стетофонендоскоп сo стетоскопическим (без мембраны) и фонендоскопическим (с мембраной) сменными (или комбинированными в одном) наконечниками]
abdomen [ˈæbdəmən] n the part of the body below the chest that contains the stomach, bowels, etc.
анат. живот, брюшная полость [Русское существительное "живот" соответствует в английском
языке нескольким словам, различающимся по значению и стилю речи — abdomen, belly, paunch,
2
stomach, tummy. Abdomen [ˈæbdəmən] обозначает всю брюшную полость и относится, как
правило, только к телу человека [энтомологический термин абдо́ мен (лат. abdomen живот) —
брюшко́ , задний отдел тела членистоногих]. Существительное belly [ˈbeli] в значении "живот,
животик" отличается от abdomen своей более неофициальной, разговорной окраской: to crawl on
one's belly ползти на животе; to lie on one's belly лежать на животе; to turn over on one's belly
повернуться на живот. Существительное belly относится как к человеку, так и к животному,
насекомому и эквивалентно русскому существительному брюшко. Существительное paunch
[pɔːntʃ] в значении "живот, пузо" отличается от разговорного belly своим шутливо-грубоватым
характером и тем, что предполагает большие размеры и употребляется, главным образом, при
описании внешности: a young man with a paunch молодой человек с брюшком. Stomach [ˈstʌmək] в
значении "живот, желудок" употребляется при описании человека. Существительное tummy
[ˈtʌmi] (also BrE informal tum [tʌm]) в значении "живот(ик)" имеет разговорно-уменьшительный
оттенок.]
to order a blood test мед. назначать анализ крови
Vocabulary notes compiled by Vladimir Kandaurov
______________
Complete Transcript
Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 45: A Visit to the Doctor.
This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 45. I'm your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to
you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California.
In this episode, we're going to discuss going to the doctor. Let's get started.
[start of story]
Going to the doctor is never particularly pleasant for me. But I couldn’t put it off any longer. It was time
for my annual physical, and there was no getting around it. So I picked up the phone and called for an
appointment. “I’d like to see Dr. Shimoya next week, please, if that’s possible,” I said. Of course, it
wasn’t possible. The doctor was booked until next month, the receptionist told me. “Okay,” I said, “Let’s
schedule it for next month.”
When the day arrived, I drove over to the doctor and checked in at the receptionist’s desk. I had to
present my HMO card and pay the co-pay of $15.00. The receptionist instructed me to go to waiting
room B, down the hall, first door on the right. So I went there and took a seat to wait. And I waited, and
waited. Finally, my name was called and I went in to see the doctor. The nurse weighed me, took my
temperature and blood pressure, and asked me why I was there. I told her it was time for my yearly
checkup. She told me to follow her to the examination room and then to strip down to my underwear.
Now I was sitting on the exam table, half-freezing, waiting for the doctor to show up. Finally, he walked
in, looked at my chart, and began his examination. “Breathe,” he said, as he placed the stethoscope on
my chest. “Breathe in and out slowly,” he said. I did so. Then he checked my throat and had me lie down
to check my abdomen.
Finally, he ordered a blood test and said, “Well, you’re good for another year, Mr. McQuillan.” Thank
goodness, I thought to myself, and got dressed to leave.
[end of story]
3
Today we are talking about going to the doctor. I began by saying, “Going to the doctor is never
particularly pleasant for me.” When we say something is “particularly pleasant,” or “particularly” plus
some other adjective, we mean “especially” or “very.”
“This cookie is not particularly good” means this cookie isn’t especially good or it isn't very good, and
“not particularly pleasant” means not especially pleasant or not very pleasant.
“Going to see the doctor is never particularly pleasant for me. But,” I said, “I couldn't put it off any
longer.” The word “it” in this sentence refers to going to the doctor, and “to put something off” means
to delay it, to wait before doing it. For example, “I put off doing my homework until the night before it
was due” means I didn't do my homework right away. I delayed or waited until I had to do it.
In the story, I was trying to put off going to the doctor, but “I couldn’t put it off any longer” because “it
was time for my annual physical.” An “annual physical” is when you go to the doctor not because you
are sick, but to make sure that you are healthy. “Annual” (annual) is an adjective meaning once a year,
and “physical” (physical) here refers to a general examination by a doctor.
In some American schools, children are required to have a physical every year. Many adults also go to
the doctor once a year to get checked. We call this an “annual physical” or a “checkup” (checkup)
Similarly when you go to a dentist to have your teeth checked every six months or every year, you can
say, “I’m going in for a checkup,” meaning I'm going to see the dentist even though there may be
nothing wrong with me, but I want to get checked anyway.
I said there was “no getting around it.” The word “it” again refers to going to the doctor. The expression
“to get around” something is a phrasal verb. It means to avoid something, to find a way so that you
don't have to do something. But if you can't avoid it, then “there's no getting around it.” “There’s no
getting around talking to my neighbor.” It is not possible to avoid that situation. After all, he is my
neighbor. He lives next to my house.
When I called for the appointment, I said to the doctor’s receptionist – the person who answers the
phone – “I’d like to see Dr. Shimoya.” “I’d like to see” here means “I’d like to make an appointment to
see” or “I would like to schedule an appointment to see.” The doctor, unfortunately, “was booked until
next month.” “To be booked” (booked) means to already have something else scheduled for a given
date or time.
If someone asks you, “Can you go to dinner with me tonight?” but you already have made plans to have
dinner with someone else, you could say, “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m booked tonight.” You can also say that if
you just don't like this person and don't want to have dinner with them, but I don't recommend lying, of
course. We normally use this expression when talking about meeting with professionals such as doctors,
dentists, professors, and so forth – anyone you might need to make an appointment to see.
I said that I went to the doctor on the day of my appointment and I “checked in at the receptionist’s
desk.” “To check (check) in” at a doctor’s office means to go to the front desk and tell the receptionist
who you are so that they know you are there for your appointment. You can also check in at a hotel. You
can check in at an airport.
This is when you give the person working for the airline – the ticket agent – your ticket, and they give
you something called a “boarding pass,” which is a piece of paper that you need to get on the airplane.
4
Well, you also check in at the doctor’s and dentist’s office when you arrive for your appointment. You
tell them that you are here so they know that you are ready to see the doctor, even though the doctor
I said I had to “present my HMO card.” “To present” here means to give. “HMO” stands for “health
maintenance organization.” An HMO is basically a private company that offers medical insurance to
people. You buy insurance from the company, and then you can go and see one of the doctors that use
that same insurance company or get paid by that same insurance company.
I also had to pay “the co-pay of $15.00.” In the United States it's very common, when you have health
insurance with an HMO, to have to pay something extra every time you go to the doctor. You don't have
to pay a lot of money. You don't have to pay what we might refer to as the “full price.” The insurance
company pays for most of it, but you often have to pay a small amount, and we call that small amount a
“copay” (co-pay). The co-pay might be $15. It might be $20. It might be as much as $50, depending on
your health insurance.
After I checked in and paid my co-pay, “the receptionist instructed me” – or told me – “to go to waiting
room B.” A “waiting (waiting) room” in a doctor’s or dentist’s office or a hospital or any sort of medical
facility is the place where you sit down and – “to go to waiting room B.” A “waiting (waiting) room” in a
doctor’s or dentist’s office or a hospital or any sort of medical facility is the place where you sit down
and wait until they call your name. They call your name when the doctor is ready to see you. They say
your name, and then it is time for you to go in for your appointment.
So, I went to the waiting room with the letter “B.” This is just a common way of naming waiting rooms.
There may be a waiting room A, a waiting room B, a waiting room C, and so forth.
The waiting room was located “down the hall, first door on the right.” The word “hall” (hall) is short for
“hallway” (hallway), which is a long space between rooms where you walk in a building. To say
something is “down the hall” means it is located nearby in the hallway, probably just a short distance.
It's similar to the expression “down the street,” which means nearby or close by on that street.
The phrase “the first door on the right” is a common way of giving directions to people. “The first door
on the right” means the first door that you walk by on your right-hand side. The second door on the left
would be the second door on your lefthand side, and so forth. After I waited for a very long time, my
name was called – meaning someone said my name – and I went in to see the doctor. When I got into
the doctor's office, the nurse “weighed” me. “To weigh (weigh) someone” means to find out how heavy
they are or, in my case, how fat I am.
The nurse also took my temperature. “To take someone's temperature” (temperature) means to
measure a person's body heat with something called a “thermometer” (thermometer). A ‘thermometer”
can either be a little stick that goes in your mouth or a small device that goes in your ear. There’s
actually one other place they can put a thermometer, but we won't talk about that now.
The nurse also checked my blood pressure. Your “blood (blood) pressure (pressure)” has to do with how
the blood is moving through your body. Usually, they check your blood pressure by wrapping a band
around your upper arm and then pumping air into the band to measure your blood pressure. You want
to have low blood pressure, not high blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, then you could
have problems with your heart or other things, but go see your doctor about this. I'm not a medical
doctor.
5
I told the nurse I was there for my “yearly checkup.” “Yearly” (yearly) means the same as annually, or
once a year. You can also say “monthly,” meaning every month, or “weekly,” meaning every week, or
“daily,” meaning, of course, every day. The nurse told me to “follow her to the examination room.” The
“examination (examination) room,” or “exam room” for short, is the room in a hospital or doctor's office
where the doctor sees you or examines you.
The nurse told me to “strip down to my underwear.” “To strip (strip) down (down)” means to take off
your clothing. And your “underwear” (underwear) is what you wear underneath your outer clothes,
underneath your shirt and pants. So, “to strip down to your underwear” means to take off all your
clothing except for your underwear. I was sitting on the “exam table” – short for “examination table” –
which is like a little bed that you lie on or sit on when the doctor is examining you, or looking at you. I
waited for the doctor to show up. “To show up” is a two-word phrasal verb that means to arrive –
usually to arrive for an appointment or something that has been scheduled at an earlier date.
The doctor looked at my chart. Your “chart” (chart) – or your “file” – in a hospital or in a doctor's office
means your medical records. They keep your records in a file, and this file is called a “chart.” When a
doctor writes in your chart, it means he writes something in your file describing whatever it is that you
are there for. Of course, nowadays, most of this is done on computers. The doctor placed a
“stethoscope” on my chest. A “stethoscope” (stethoscope) is an instrument that doctors use to listen to
your heart and to your breathing. One side of the stethoscope goes in the doctor's ears, and the other
side has a little round disk that is placed against your chest to listen to your heart and lungs.
The doctor also checked my abdomen. The “abdomen” (abdomen) is the medical term for the area
above your hips, above your waist, and below your chest. The area that includes your stomach is part of
your abdomen. The doctor then ordered a “blood test.” A “blood (blood) test” is just what it sounds like.
It is a test of your blood. You go to a laboratory and they stick or put a sharp instrument called a
“needle” in your arm, and then they draw your blood, meaning they take a little bit of blood out of your
body. Then they analyze or test the blood. The expression we use when a doctor wants this test
performed is “to order a blood test.”
The doctor then told me I was “good for another year,” which meant I was all done and I didn't have to
come back until the next year. I thought to myself, “Thank goodness,” meaning “I'm glad about that.”
Now let's listen to the story again, this time at a normal speed.
[start of story]
Going to the doctor is never particularly pleasant for me. But I couldn’t put it off any longer. It was time
for my annual physical, and there was no getting around it. So I picked up the phone and called for an
appointment. “I’d like to see Dr. Shimoya next week, please, if that’s possible,” I said. Of course, it
wasn’t possible. The doctor was booked until next month, the receptionist told me. “Okay,” I said, “Let’s
schedule it for next month.”
When the day arrived, I drove over to the doctor and checked in at the receptionist’s desk. I had to
present my HMO card and pay the co-pay of $15.00. The receptionist instructed me to go to waiting
room B, down the hall, first door on the right. So I went there and took a seat to wait. And I waited, and
waited. Finally, my name was called and I went in to see the doctor. The nurse weighed me, took my
temperature and blood pressure, and asked me why I was there. I told her it was time for my yearly
checkup. She told me to follow her to the examination room and then to strip down to my underwear.
6
Now I was sitting on the exam table, half-freezing, waiting for the doctor to show up. Finally, he walked
in, looked at my chart, and began his examination. “Breathe,” he said, as he placed the stethoscope on
my chest. “Breathe in and out slowly,” he said. I did so. Then he checked my throat and had me lie down
to check my abdomen.
Finally, he ordered a blood test and said, “Well, you’re good for another year, Mr. McQuillan.”
Thank goodness, I thought to myself, and got dressed to leave.
[end of story]
Thanks to fantastic scriptwriter, Dr. Lucy Tse, for all her hard work, and thanks to you for listening.
From Los Angeles, California, I'm Jeff McQuillan. Come back and listen to us again right here on ESL
Podcast.
English as a Second Language Podcast was written and produced by Dr. Lucy Tse, hosted by Dr. Jeff
McQuillan. Copyright 2006 by the Center for Educational Development.
Glossary
to put (something) off – to delay something; to plan on doing something later so that one does not
need to do it now
Jasmine needs to write a paper for her English class, but she kept putting it off until the day before she
needed to turn it in.
annual physical – a yearly medical exam of one’s basic health; a visit to the doctor that happens once a
year, in which one’s general health is checked
Trent felt healthy, but he still needed to go to the doctor for an annual physical.
to be booked – to have a full schedule; to have all of one's available appointments filled
The hair stylist was booked for the next three weeks and Gemma couldn’t get appointment until
September.
HMO – Health Maintenance Organization; personal health insurance; a business that pays part of the
cost or the full cost for certain medical bills of its customers, in exchange for a monthly or yearly fee
The medical exam was covered by the HMO, so Sari did not need to pay for it.
co-pay – a small payment that one pays for medical services when another part of the payment is paid
by an insurance company (a company that pays for health and medical expenses)
The insurance covered most of the cost, but Byron still needed to pay a $25 co-pay for his appointment
to see the doctor.
waiting room – a small room at a business one waits in until the person one plans to meet is available
The accountant was busy talking on the phone, so her client waited in the waiting room until the
conversation was over.
to weigh – to measure the weight of someone or something; to measure how heavy something or
someone is
The cook weighed the container of flour to find out how much was in it.
temperature – a measurement of how hot or cold something is
When Evelina got ill, her body temperature went up a lot and it made her sweat.
blood pressure – a measurement of how much pressure or stress is put on the blood vessels
(passageways that carry blood) in a person's body
Nick’s blood pressure was too high, and he needed to lower it so that his heart would be healthier.
7
check-up – a medical examination meant to determine the condition of one's overall health instead of
focusing on a specific problem or concern
Piper was not sick or injured so her visit to the doctor was just a check up
examination room – a small room in which a doctor tests and observes a person's health
Dr. Li had a patient in the examination room who suffers from a bad heart.
to strip down – to undress; to remove one's clothes
After his clothes got wet, Rodney stripped down to his underwear and put on dry clothes.
exam table – a table or flat surface that one sits on when getting tested and observed by a doctor
The exam table was cold and uncomfortable, so the patient wished that the doctor would hurry and
finish the exam.
to show up – to appear; to arrive
Wanda was supposed to meet a friend at a local coffee shop, but her friend never showed up, so she
drank coffee her there alone.
chart – papers used to track the medical condition of a specific patient; documents that explain the
condition of a person's health
The doctor read the patient’s chart to find out the patient’s medical history.
stethoscope – a tool used by a doctor to listen to sounds in the body, making those sounds louder
Dr. Rodriguez used a stethoscope to listen to the patient’s heartbeat.
abdomen – stomach area; mid-section; belly
After eating too much ice cream, Miguel felt a pain in his abdomen.
blood test – medical test that check human blood for diseases or irregularities
The results of the blood test showed that the patient did not have enough iron in her blood.
Culture Note
The Jobs With the Most Germs
A researcher at the University of Arizona conducted studies to see which workplaces had the most
germs. “Germs” are the very small living things that can cause disease and illness. Before their study was
published in 2009, this researcher and his colleagues visited many different types of offices and
“swabbed” (used a cotton stick to remove a small amount of something) more than 600 surfaces,
including phones, computers, and desks.
The top nine jobs with the most germs are:
1. Teacher
2. Accountant
3. Banker
4. “Radio deejay” (the person on the radio who talks to the audience and announces the names of songs
played on the station)
5. Doctor
6. “Television producer” (the person responsible for overseeing the money and management of making
a TV show)
7. “Consultant” (the person hired by different companies to give expert advice and/or to do a specific
project)
8. “Publicist” (the person responsible for making known to many other people a person, product, or
company)
9. Lawyer
The average bacteria per square inch on surfaces in their workspace ranged from 900 for lawyers to
17,800 for teachers. Anyone who has worked in a classroom or with students won’t be surprised by this.
The four surfaces with the most germs are:
8
1. Phones
2. Desks
3. Computer keyboard
4. Computer mouse
Again, these results are not too surprising. The reasons for phones and computers being on the list are
“obvious” (clear), but why are desks so full of germs? The reseaches found that most people, at one
time or another, ate at their desks, but fewer than 20% ever clean them.
© Center for Educational Development, Inc. 2005-2018
_____________
Reading Comprehension
Technology Brings Change to Doctor’s Visits
From VOA Learning English, this is Health & Lifestyle article [April 29, 2019]
You may hear or download this story on VOA’s Learning English Web.
This is the VOA Special English Health & Lifestyle program.
Lisa Love of Twin Falls in the western American state of Idaho has not seen her doctor of 25 years since
she started using a healthcare service called telemedicine.
With telemedicine, a person can contact a doctor from wherever they are using a smartphone or other
device and discuss their health concerns in a video conference.
Love no longer waits for the doctor’s office to open. She does not even have to leave her home. She
used virtual visits last summer for help with a skin problem and returned for another small issue. She
told the Associated Press she does not feel the need to seek care in the traditional way, especially since
she also gets free health exams at work.
Last year, the Kaiser Family Foundation, a healthcare research group, found that about 25 percent of
adults in the United States do not have one doctor they visit often. That jumps to 45 percent for those
under age 30.
Some people like Love wonder how much they still need a regular doctor. “Telemedicine probably can’t
do everything ... but for most of the things I might ever have, I’m pretty sure they can take care of it,”
she said.
Other people have moved to walk-in clinics and urgent care centers. And more medical services are
using teams of professionals to keep patients healthy. They limit visits with a doctor to just the more
serious cases.
Health care experts say the changing, disconnected nature of care is exactly why people still need
someone who looks out for their overall health.
That has been the traditional responsibility of family doctors. They know patients’ medical histories. And
they are trained to identify problems instead of just dealing with the symptoms that led to the patient’s
visit. They also can make sure different medicines work together, as well as help make sense of
information patients find with an internet search.
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Sam Glick is an executive with the research firm Oliver Wyman. He said the idea of a family doctor as the
single best solution for everyone is changing a great deal.
This change began years ago when drugstores started providing anti-flu injections and opening clinics
that handle minor issues like ear infections. The two largest drugstore companies in the U.S., CVS Health
and Walgreens, now run about 1,500 clinics combined.
More recently, employers have started adding work place clinics. And thousands of urgent care centers
have opened around the country to treat emergencies that are not life-threatening. Then there is
telemedicine.
Love said she loves the virtual visits. They only cost $42, or less than half the price of an office visit under
her insurance plan.
“I like technology and I like new things and I like saving money,” Love said. “It was worth it to me to try
it.”
On top of all the competition for patients, the field also is fighting a shortage of doctors as medical
school students aim for higher-paying specialties.
Health care services have changed by adding physician assistants or nurse practitioners to cover yearly
physical examinations and other minor care.
They are also creating teams that help them take a wider look at patient health. Those teams might
include mental health specialists who look for depression and health instructors who can improve diet
and exercise.
The idea is to keep patients healthy instead of waiting to treat them after they become sick.
“We want to do as much outside the walls of the clinic as we can,” said Megan Mahoney, a doctor with
Stanford University in California. She noted that this push depends on insurers expanding what they will
cover.
Doctors say the team-based services are changing their relationships with patients. Harvard Medical
School professor Russell Phillips, also a doctor, often answers emails or questions from his patients. He
also connects them with clinics for minor issues like urinary tract infections.
Phillips says health care is changing into more of a flowing, virtual relationship where patients have
shorter visits with their doctors more often. Traditionally, patients would usually only visit their family
doctor maybe two times a year.
“Getting medical care is such a complex activity that people really need somebody who can advise,
guide and coordinate for them,” Phillips said. “People still really want a relationship with someone who
can do that.”
I’m Alice Bryant.
And I’m Pete Musto.
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Tom Murphy reported this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning
English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. How common is telemedicine in your
country? What are patients’ relationships with doctors like? Write to us in the Comments Section or on
our Facebook page.
Comprehension Questions
1. What percent of adults under age 30 in the United States go without one doctor they visit often?
a. 25
b. 30
c. 42
d. 45
2. What are medical services limiting doctor visits to covering?
a. Serious cases
b. Minor issues
c. Developing cases
d. New issues
3. What do the companies CVS Health and Walgreens operate about 1,500 of combined?
a. Clinics
b. Hospitals
c. Doctors' offices
d. Specialists' offices
4. Why does Lisa Love like her virtual doctor's visits?
a. She likes technology.
b. She likes new things.
c. She likes saving money.
d. All of the above.
Words in This Story
smartphone [BrE ˈsmɑːtfəʊn; NAmE ˈsmɑːrtfoʊn] – n. [countable] a mobile telephone that can be used
to send and receive e-mail, connect to the Internet and take photographs – (досл. умный телефон)
смартфо́ н [мобильный телефон c функциональностью карманного персонального компьютера]
virtual [BrE ˈvɜːtʃuəl; NAmE ˈvɜːrtʃuəl] – adj. [only before noun] existing or occurring on computers or on
the Internet – комп., спец. виртуа́льный [реализованный программно, симулированный, имитированный с помощью компьютера]
clinic [ˈklɪnɪk] – n. a place where people get medical help – мед. 1. клиника (лечебное учреждение); 2.
поликлиника (при больнице); амбулатория, медпункт (при больнице)
patient [ˈpeɪʃnt] – n. a person who receives medical care or treatment – мед. больной, пацие́нт
symptom [ˈsɪmptəm] – n. a change in the body or mind which shows that a disease is present – мед.
субъективный симпто́ м, внешний признак (очевидный для самого больного признак какого л.
заболевания); cf. sign – объективный симптом, признак (выявленный при обследовании больного )
insurance [BrE ɪnˈʃʊərəns, ɪnˈʃɔːrəns; NAmE ɪnˈʃʊrəns] – n. a kind of business involving agreements in
which people make regular payments to a company and the company promises to pay money if they are
injured or die, or to pay money equal to the value of something, such as a house or car, if it is damaged,
lost, or stolen – страхова́ние, разг. страховка
physician assistant [fɪˈzɪʃn əˈsɪstənt] – n. NAmE a person who provides basic medical care and who
usually works with a doctor [physician assistant degree programs typically include 2,000 hours or more
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of clinical rotations, providing the PA with the applied experience needed to work in a variety of clinical
and medical settings] – амер. помощник врача
nurse practitioner [BrE nɜːs prækˈtɪʃənə(r); NAmE nɜːrs prækˈtɪʃənər] – n. NAmE a nurse who is trained
to do some of the things a doctor does, such as give physical exams or order certain medical tests [Nurse
practitioners (NPs) are a type of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) whose specialized education
and clinical training allow them to provide higher levels of care and perform a variety of tasks that
registered nurses (RNs) are not licensed to do. They may complete an advanced degree program that
allows them to practice independently and take on roles similar to that of a doctor.] – амер. медицинская сестра высшей квалификации (с правом самостоятельной практики)
to coordinate [BrE kəʊˈɔːdɪneɪt; NAmE koʊˈɔːrdɪneɪt] – v. to make arrangements so that two or more
people or groups of people can work together properly and well – координи́ ровать, приводить в
соответствие
Comprehension Questions Correct Answers:
1 – a. Last year, the Kaiser Family Foundation, a healthcare research group, found that about 25 percent
of adults in the United States do not have one doctor they visit often. That jumps to 45 percent for those
under age 30.
2 – a. Serious cases. Other people have moved to walk-in clinics and urgent care centers. And more
medical services are using teams of professionals to keep patients healthy. They limit visits with a doctor
to just the more serious cases.
3 – a. Clinics. This change began years ago when drugstores started providing anti-flu injections and
opening clinics that handle minor issues like ear infections. The two largest drugstore companies in the
U.S., CVS Health and Walgreens, now run about 1,500 clinics combined.
4 – d. All of the above. Love said she loves the virtual visits. They only cost $42, or less than half the
price of an office visit under her insurance plan. “I like technology and I like new things and I like saving
money,” Love said. “It was worth it to me to try it.”
© VOA Learning English
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