Judy

[judy]

Honestly, Gayle, I think the whole test was just scheduled so that the hospital could make money. I wonder if the doctor gets paid for any of it too.

My doctor had me scheduled to see a cardiologist to evaluate the EKG and echo, and to see if I could take a stress test. He found a mild mitral valve leakage; nothing to worry about.

He then scheduled me for a stress test because I was a smoker for years. The rads were because, according to him, 40% of women's' stress tests are incorrect unless they are thallium.

Since I stopped smoking about 15 years ago, and because I really felt that this was just a money maker, I decided not to bother with the test. I can always get a referral for a regular stress test if I decide I want a baseline.