May, 2008
Dilettante Doctors

Twice in the past year people have told me that their "family physicians' have informed them that they would no longer keep them as patients. Last week I received a letter from a doctor I had seen twice stating that she will no longer accept me as her patient.
In my case I suspect it was because I complained about being unable to reach anyone in the office, much less the doctor, with questions. One of the former patients who told me his doctor dumped him waited 45 minutes past his appointment time, politely told the receptionist he was leaving, and left. Within days he received a rather nasty letter from that office stating that he "obviously was dissatisfied with the service the doctor's office provided", and that, therefore, the doctor will no longer accept him as a patient.

Patient service is non existent. Doctors stay as far away from patient treatment as possible. The phone is the first barrier. The office staff is the second. The assistant is the third.
If I have a question about an illness, injury, or treatment, I phone the office. After a menu of phone options and a recording that tells me the office hours, the location, fax number, the directions on how to reach it, etc. I am told to leave a message and someone will return my call within 48 hours. I wonder if I am to take the medication about which I have a question, or wait for two days to get an answer?
Once I actually received a return call from an assistant who knew nothing and said she would check with the doctor and call me back, but said the doctor would not be at that office location again until the following week, so it could be 5-6 days before someone would contact me.

I really dislike approaching the desk at a doctor office and having a surly receptionist, who doesn't even make eye contact with me say "Name?" followed by "Insurance card" or the one I really hate "Social?". She then grabs the insurance card, makes a copy and shoves a clipboard with a filthy pen attached to it at me and tells me to complete both sides of all forms and sign them. Usually when I go see a doctor, I don't feel well. A smile and some common courtesy would go a long way.
Hoping to hire the best doctor I can find, I comply with the form completion and then wait. If I am seen within 15 minutes of my appointment time I feel very fortunate. Of course I made an appointment to see a doctor, not an assistant, yet I spend more time with the assistant than with the doctor.

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