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Just wondering what people have experienced with "firing" their doctor. I recently fired a doctor due to their unfriendly, non-communicating, unorganized clinic staff. The doctor's nurse, especially, really impacted my health when I needed a prescription pre-authorization/formulary exception (annually needed by my insurance) while the doctor was out of the country. It took many many calls to straighten it out, and the nurse never did call me back. I had to talk with the clinic manager to get samples until it was straightened out, because the nurse never returned my calls about samples. I also needed a half hour follow up rather than 15 minutes to be scheduled when the doctor returned, and the staff were totally disorganized in setting this up.
Sometimes we have to assert ourselves as patients. What happened with you and how did you resolve it? Did you let your doctor know you were firing them?
Once because the doctor kept referring me for unnecessary tests to run up the bill. I knew they were unnecessary because the tests never showed anything wrong, and I finally went to another doctor, who easily resolved the problem himself (without sending me for tests). That doctor also blurted out a shocked response when he saw one of the tests I was sent for (implying it was not necessary).
Another time it was a surgeon who could not talk to me. Left me with NO follow-up instructions after surgery - didn't say a thing to me after surgery. (Very poor communications skills to say the least! Nice guy, good surgeon, but I need to know if further surgery is needed, what to do/eat after surgery, activity, etc. Talk to me or leave instructions!)
The last one I switched away from - I could not get an appointment for two months! Also it took me 3 calls to get them to refill my prescriptions. And the doctor didn't feel it was important to correct major errors on my medical record (or did not have the authority to do so) - errors entered by other doctors.
Each must be their own best advocate. I encourage everyone to research, as much as possible, any diagnosis given and ask as many questions as necessary to feel comfortable with information you've been given.
Doctors/nurses/therapists are not God, do not have all the answers and do not always present information in a way that is easily understood. However, they have experience with medical issues, some that are not presented online, that can help direct them to better treatment for you.
I recently fired my ortho due to improperly treating a fracture, not effectively diagnosing additional injuries/damage and not presenting an effective treatment plan. I obtained my records myself, copied them and took them to my new doctor who performed an important diagnostic test the previous doctor never even suggested. That test revealed the damage I suffered as a result of the improper treatment previously received. I am also scheduled for surgery to treat the missed injuries.
I fired mine when she recommended I take Tylenol for constant Joint pain. It wasn't until a coworker recommended Fish Oil that I started feeling better and no longer have pain in the knees
As a follow up to my first post, I wrote to a clinic administrative staff person at the headquarters for this group about a week ago regarding my concerns with the organization of the office, and I asked them to forward my email to the doctor, since I didn't know her email address. I have heard nothing from either the administrator or doctor yet, although I still might.
When I fired a nurse practitioner several years ago, I sent a letter to the clinic CEO, and also heard nothing.
When I fired another doctor about a year ago, I didn't bother writing to her or her boss. I told her nurse, though.
It makes one wonder if they get so many of these that they don't even acknowledge them. I also have been thinking that the better doctors and their staff probably do not get enough positive feedback.
I recently changed cardiologists. The reasons piled up and finally, in one appointment, the scheduler lied to me, the nurse gave me a script for the wrong medicine (correct dosage but the medicine she wrote didn't come in that dosage and Wal-Mart pharmacy caught it), and, yes, still in the same appointment, when I told the doctor I was tired of not feeling good (I've been mildly complaining for a year), he told me he couldn't wave a magic wand.
We'll see how this new doctor goes. He's with the same doctor-owned hospital as the previous doctor. The new one immediately scheduled me for chem stress test and subsequently, heart cath. I won't know what the cath discovered until next week.
What burns me up is if the doctor found something fixable with the cath, he couldn't fix it right then and there. I'll have to go back for whatever he determines, probably a stent. The reason? Insurance won't pay for it unless it's two separate procedures.
That is simply not acceptable to put a patient through two procedures, but what can one do? Nothing, I guess. Just one reason why I despise the insurance industry.
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We'll see how this new doctor goes. He's with the same doctor-owned hospital as the previous doctor. The new one immediately scheduled me for chem stress test and subsequently, heart cath. I won't know what the cath discovered until next week.
What burns me up is if the doctor found something fixable with the cath, he couldn't fix it right then and there. I'll have to go back for whatever he determines, probably a stent. The reason? Insurance won't pay for it unless it's two separate procedures.
That is simply not acceptable to put a patient through two procedures, but what can one do? Nothing, I guess. Just one reason why I despise the insurance industry.
Wow, may I ask what your insurance is? My insurance carrier that I have had for 12 years did not dictate this way, and I have had caths/angioplasty, stents, and a triple bypass. I can't imagine that my insurance company would have told my nationally known surgeon that they couldnt do a bypass right away when the angioplasty didnt work, and I know they didnt do such a thing when I had the stent placement the second time around. It would seem that there is more to this story than the doctor is telling you. Did you confirm this with the insurance company rep?
Fire your doctor anytime u want as they work for YOU!! If your not happy with their service then give em the can, despite whatever diploma sit's on their wall. It is that simple...
I fired 2 PCP's both for lying. But they put you on line just like we may do, although, the first one I tried to comment on and the sight would not let me rate them. I always felt it was because it was less then positive. I haven't tried to make a comment about the other one. Both were HMO's , which I wasn't used to the inner structure.
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