7 of 23

No

Write now Article Tools

At one time the old family doctor used to know you and all your family.He knew your home circumstances and what might or might not have any affect on what you were seeing him about.I say he only for reference purposes as of course we all know there are female doctors.Though at tyhe time I am talking about your doctor was usually male,or at least mine was. The old family doctor also had time to talk to you and you felt he was not only listening to you but actually taking notice.The modern day doctor is usually one of a group practice,which is run as a business by a manager.This manager is not a doctor but a business man and as such is only concerned with the making of money and not of patient care.Time is money, so care has to be taken that you do not take up too much time with each patient.A good example of this is my experience with a well known and highly respected surgeon.I had a problem with my wrist and after lots of tests and xrays including a MRI, it was decided that an operation was needed.It was to be done as day surgery.Which meant that no hospital stay was neccessary.After sitting around from 7.30 am till 11 o'clock I was finally taken into the operation theatre for the removal of what I was told was a ganglion.This is a small mass wrapped around tendons and sinews.This is neither a large or in anyway a serious operation,so no worries says I.In the theatre, apart from the actual surgeon,were of course his underlings plus the usuall theatre techs.On waking I was told that it was not what they had thought and that I had the theatre staff in a flat spin looking for my xrays.It seems that the problem with my wrist was a torn cartlidge.Something entirely different.Questioned by me as to why this did not show up on the MRI {which picks up everything] I was told that it was picked up but he [my surgeon] had not read to the bottom of the report so had missed it.This from a man whose work I had seen and whose reputation I thought was well deserved.The healing of my wrist did not go well and I believe that because it was a minor operation it was given to his registrar to perform.The stitching was not as neat as I know from past experience.Of course I was charged at his rate.The point being I trusted this man,I had full trust in his expertise.Where did this trust get me, one year down the track and I still have a wrist that won't work properly.When doctors became business men they denied themselves the right to be trusted,after all who trusts a used car salesman.

Learn more about this author, Bren Williams.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Can doctors be fully trusted??
We want to hear your view. Write now!