Can You Beat This

[Claire]

Now to the rant: I recently decided to change doctors. A lady Korean doctor was recommended to me by several people. I called and asked if she was taking new patients and was told that she was. I was given an appointment date and I told them that my records would be forwarded. I signed a release at my current doctor's office for my records to be transferred. I wrote an overview of past history and current issues and sent it to the new doctor - to help speed up the initial consultation.

About three days later I got a call from her office. Her secretary said that the doctor had read my information and gone over the test results and that she felt she could not take me as there was nothing whatever she could do for me. She said that there were no more tests to be done. I personally know better than that. I can name a half a dozen at least. I was stunned. As I have shared this with others - some medical people - they too are stunned. If my records were accepted she should have accepted me - otherwise incoming patients should be told up front that the doctor may decline to accept you. She could have had me come in on a consultancy basis - as in second opinion.

I tried to go back to the previous doctor but wasn't surprised when she wouldn't accept me back into the practice. So I am high and dry with no family doctor! I have asked people for recommendations but so far no one is taking on new patients.

I continue to be stunned. Her office did call with a recommendation for an alternative medicine doctor but insurance won't cover that. I did call and you have to have a family physician even to get a consultation. As the saying goes, "up the creek without a paddle".

I think she read the records and my 'overview' and decided she didn't want the challenge.

As much as I hate doctors, I know that I need to have one in case of emergency. Right now my records are in two doctors' offices and neither one of those doctors consider me a patient.

Very unprofessional, I think. There should be a stated policy so that incoming patients don't wind up as I have with no medical representation at all. Claire

[flagbabyds]

that sucks, just glad that you might be able to be better when gluten-free and start feeling better.

[Guest nini]

I ran into something similar with my daughter's former pediatrician's office. Her ped. decided to retire to be at home with her baby and since this Dr.s office was a bit of a drive for us I decided to temporarily have her records sent to our family Dr., after this happened I ran into an issue with her preschool (she swallowed a bead) and I couldn't get EITHER Dr.s office to talk to me. The old office said she was no longer a patient and I couldn't discuss anything with them, and the new Dr.s office said that it was a pediatric issue that should be dealt with by her former office. It took a ton of phone calls but eventually I got the Family Dr.s office to take on the case. Sometimes you just have to put the pressure on these "by the book" people. They don't realize (nor do they care) that they are putting you in a bind.

[debmidge]

Just when I thought I heard it all (about doctors) ....

hope you find a great doctor who doesn't think he/she is "God."

[jerseyangel]

Claire--That is terrible, and this is truly "one for the books!" I hope that you find a suitable doctor soon--I can imagine how uneasy you must feel knowing you don't have one at the moment.

[CarlaB]

I can't stand the medical system! They have their procedures and stop using their heads somewhere along the way, probably due to the insurance companies and malpractice suits. I got really, really sick four years ago from a pet bird (right after that was when the gluten-intolerance worsened). I found out what was wrong with me from the veterinarian! I went home and researched what I needed, then went to the doc, told him what I had and what I needed to get better. He didn't want to do the testing; I think it was because since it was from a bird, there would have been so much reporting to do, not to mention, the disease is pretty obscure and he probably didn't have the resources for it. Anyway, three weeks of doxycycline and I started getting better. If it weren't for the veterinarian, I don't know that I'd be here today. The bird isn't ...

Your story is strange, but doesn't surprise me a bit!

[Claire]

that sucks, just glad that you might be able to be better when gluten-free and start feeling better.

I am already gluten-free - since last August. 90% gluten-free from 2990 - when I was diagnosed with intolerance for wheat, barley and rye. No mention of gluten at that time.

I am complex food issues - Type II delayed food reactions that cause me endless problems. Everyone -sick or well - needs a family doctor - even a 'bad' one - otherwise you are really stuck if you are injured or have a sudden illness. Claire

[Ursa Major]

I am complex food issues - Type II delayed food reactions that cause me endless problems. Everyone -sick or well - needs a family doctor - even a 'bad' one - otherwise you are really stuck if you are injured or have a sudden illness. Claire

Well, if you're sick or have a sudden illness, you can always go to your hospital emergency room, or a walk-in-clinic. The biggest problem comes, when you need a referral. At least here in Canada, you can't go to ANY specialist without a referral from your family doctor. No family doctor? Too bad, can't see you. I've had it happen when my former doctor retired, and I needed to see an orthopedic surgeon (who I had seen before, but for an issue with my knee, and that time was for my ankle, which wouldn't heal properly after fracturing it).

Nini, that's weird, that a family doctor (who, as the name implies, should look after the FAMILY, children included) would tell you they won't look after a pediatric issue! I've never even had a pediatrician for my kids, I saw no need for one. My family doctors always looked after it, when I would take a kid in (maybe once in ten years, I know what I am doing).

[dlp252]

Now to the rant: I recently decided to change doctors. A lady Korean doctor was recommended to me by several people. I called and asked if she was taking new patients and was told that she was. I was given an appointment date and I told them that my records would be forwarded. I signed a release at my current doctor's office for my records to be transferred. I wrote an overview of past history and current issues and sent it to the new doctor - to help speed up the initial consultation.

About three days later I got a call from her office. Her secretary said that the doctor had read my information and gone over the test results and that she felt she could not take me as there was nothing whatever she could do for me. She said that there were no more tests to be done. I personally know better than that. I can name a half a dozen at least. I was stunned. As I have shared this with others - some medical people - they too are stunned. If my records were accepted she should have accepted me - otherwise incoming patients should be told up front that the doctor may decline to accept you. She could have had me come in on a consultancy basis - as in second opinion.

I tried to go back to the previous doctor but wasn't surprised when she wouldn't accept me back into the practice. So I am high and dry with no family doctor! I have asked people for recommendations but so far no one is taking on new patients.

I continue to be stunned. Her office did call with a recommendation for an alternative medicine doctor but insurance won't cover that. I did call and you have to have a family physician even to get a consultation. As the saying goes, "up the creek without a paddle".

I think she read the records and my 'overview' and decided she didn't want the challenge.

As much as I hate doctors, I know that I need to have one in case of emergency. Right now my records are in two doctors' offices and neither one of those doctors consider me a patient.

Very unprofessional, I think. There should be a stated policy so that incoming patients don't wind up as I have with no medical representation at all. Claire

Not only unprofessional, but just plain weird! It almost sounds like there was some notation in your file (but don't go by me--I tend to have a slight "conspiracy theory" mentality at times).

If you can find a doctor taking new patients, you can always make the consultation appointment and get the relationship established and THEN have the records forwarded.

The whole thing is just weird to me.

[megsylvan2]

I'm sorry that this happened to you, and I wonder the same things. I wonder if when you have your records sent to another doctor if they call one another or send a note along telling the other doctor what they think of you as a patient. You know, like - watch out - this one thinks she has Celiac disease and won't stop till she gets a diagnosis - or something to that effect. I wouldn't be surprised.

I also wondered if you went to see another doctor if your original doctor would be ticked off about it and wouldn't take you back. Or if your original doctor didn't like you as a patient if they would use that as an excuse to not take you back.

I recently went to another doctor for similar reasons regarding Celiac. BUt I still liked my original doctor very much for everything else except the exploration of the possibility of Celiac. I didn't like the other doctor, and would still like to keep my original doctor, but I wonder if I will have similar issues. If so, it is too bad that doctors have to be this way. Doesn't seem like a professional attitude to me. Especially that you are not given the chance to explain your reasons.

[judy05]

Now to the rant: I recently decided to change doctors. A lady Korean doctor was recommended to me by several people. I called and asked if she was taking new patients and was told that she was. I was given an appointment date and I told them that my records would be forwarded. I signed a release at my current doctor's office for my records to be transferred. I wrote an overview of past history and current issues and sent it to the new doctor - to help speed up the initial consultation.

About three days later I got a call from her office. Her secretary said that the doctor had read my information and gone over the test results and that she felt she could not take me as there was nothing whatever she could do for me. She said that there were no more tests to be done. I personally know better than that. I can name a half a dozen at least. I was stunned. As I have shared this with others - some medical people - they too are stunned. If my records were accepted she should have accepted me - otherwise incoming patients should be told up front that the doctor may decline to accept you. She could have had me come in on a consultancy basis - as in second opinion.

I tried to go back to the previous doctor but wasn't surprised when she wouldn't accept me back into the practice. So I am high and dry with no family doctor! I have asked people for recommendations but so far no one is taking on new patients.

I continue to be stunned. Her office did call with a recommendation for an alternative medicine doctor but insurance won't cover that. I did call and you have to have a family physician even to get a consultation. As the saying goes, "up the creek without a paddle".

I think she read the records and my 'overview' and decided she didn't want the challenge.

As much as I hate doctors, I know that I need to have one in case of emergency. Right now my records are in two doctors' offices and neither one of those doctors consider me a patient.

Very unprofessional, I think. There should be a stated policy so that incoming patients don't wind up as I have with no medical representation at all. Claire

Thsi is totally unacceptable, I think I would notify the AMA or the state board of licensing, no one should be treated this way.

[2kids4me]

I can't stand the medical system! They have their procedures and stop using their heads somewhere along the way, probably due to the insurance companies and malpractice suits. I got really, really sick four years ago from a pet bird (right after that was when the gluten-intolerance worsened). I found out what was wrong with me from the veterinarian! I went home and researched what I needed, then went to the doc, told him what I had and what I needed to get better. He didn't want to do the testing; I think it was because since it was from a bird, there would have been so much reporting to do, not to mention, the disease is pretty obscure and he probably didn't have the resources for it. Anyway, three weeks of doxycycline and I started getting better. If it weren't for the veterinarian, I don't know that I'd be here today. The bird isn't ...

Your story is strange, but doesn't surprise me a bit!

Not as strange as oyu might think, my husband isa vet. We have had to send info with clients to take to their physicians about psittacosis, salmonella, tonsilittis, and pinworms to name a few.

Physicians told this family that the dog was a source of pinworms for their kids (pinworms are very speices specific and dogs DONT get pinworms) and to get rid of the dog.

Dogs and kids CAN share tonsilittis (dogs lick faces of kids most often) so if the dog has it and the kid hasa sore throat - we tell parents to og to the doctor. Doc's office will phone us and wonder why we think this kid needs to be seen.... we tell them.

Vets ahve to read body language and look at symptoms, we dont dismiss our patients as neurotic sicne they are sick - when blood tests come back normal, it doesnt mean the animal is healthy, esp when symptoms persist. It means we have not diagnosed the problem and we need to dig deeper.

I wish more GP's thought like vets. Believe it or not, I was often placated at the doc's office ("you read too much, or you worry too much") UNTIL my husband would come with me, suddenly the DR in front of his name (even though he was "just a vet") got more respect than the title "MOM". and tests got done.