<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Melissa Cherpas wrote:
> i was unaware of the level of hatred for physicians in this country until i
> joined this list.  please remember that most doctors try hard and are good
> people, just like yourselves.  there is another side of the story.  i am in
> the only profession i know of that if my pager goes off while i am comforting
> one of my children, even if i just got home after a long day at the office, i
> have to put the child down and answer the page.  often this page is not a
> true emergency at all, but convenient for someone who "didn't have time" to
> call me during regular office hours.

Melissa,

Like others on this list, I too have trouble with my doctors.  The
trouble I have is not with their lack of knowledge, it's the dismissal
and polite arrogance.  Luckily I was able to convince my allergist to
prescribe a blood test for me a few days ago to determine if I have CD.
The argument that convinced him (for some reason) is that I might get a
tax write-off for having to spend more on wheat-free food if I were a
Celiac. He can't explain my elevated liver function or other symptoms,
yet he is reluctant to listen to what I've found on the Web.  And he's
the BEST doctor I've found so far.

Most of the physicians I see at a managed-care facility don't listen to
me much at all and are in a hurry to dismiss me.  Why aren't they
interested enough to ask their peers instead of forgetting about my
puzzling symptoms?  Are they seen as incompetent by their peers if they
ask a question?  Why can't they refer me to specialists until the
problems are solved or the available resources are exhausted rather than
just telling me to take another blood test in 6 months to see if it goes
away or gets worse?  Do they believe that if they don't know the answer
that no one can know it?

I just don't understand.  Even when I'm swamped at work, if someone asks
me a question I don't know the answer to, I don't bluff, and I'll
usually look up the answer, ask my peers at other organizations, or
point the person to a resource like a book or the Web.  People are much
more appreciative and impressed when I eventually find them an answer
than they would be if I were to just shrug my shoulders at them.

Why do doctors seem so disinterested, dismissive, and resource-less?  Is
it because of the pressures of managed care?  Even my old, expensive,
non-managed MD would hesitate to refer me to a specialist and would just
sit on the problem.  Why?  Maybe you can help shed some light on the
perceived attitudes of other MDs?

Thanks,
-Jim