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I really can't think of too many doctors I like. In fact I can't think of any as far as professionally. I just went to an orthopedic surgeon for an evaluation of my knee. They took x-rays. The assistant mainly spoke to me, rustled my knee around to see where it hurt. Then the doctor came in, showed me the x-rays and where the bones were rubbing against each other. No cartilege there. Then I spoke to him about my hip which is a source of pain. So then he told me I need to see a hip doctor. He also told me the recovery from a hip replacement is much easier than from a knee replacement.
But when I was leaving, I mentioned that I could not bend my knee so as to get to cut my toenails and he said, "See a podiatrist!" I thought that was such a stupid answer. Because I wanted to know why my knee would not bend. And if it would if I had a replacement. He thought his remark was funny. I thought it was dumb. But since I was on my way out of the office, he did not answer me beyond his idea that I should see a podiatrist to get my toenails cut.
This is one reason why I don't like doctors. He is top-rated though.
Imagine that. It's almost, as if, doctors are people too.
Imagine that. It's almost, as if, doctors are people too.
Good thing to remind yourself. Every human's daily life affects their behavior...even in the office of a professional. Unless you know that particular professional very well who could say some comments they made on a particular day was typical or a one-off. I am NOT trying to excuse a rude provider, I'm saying its possible for someone to behave less than perfectly under fairly ordinary conditions.
Nothing requires someone to continue seeing a doctor they don't get along with. Shop with your feet...go elsewhere if you don't get the service you have a legitimate reason to expect. BUT, there is responsibility on both sides of the transaction...don't demand that a hair stylist make alterations to a coat. Don't spring a dental question on a dermatologist at the end of an appointment and then badmouth them for not delivering. OTOH, the provider needs to be competent within their specialty, efficient, courteous, and mindful of their patient.
Many years ago when my mother was dealing with ALS there was one particular medical researcher all the patients my parents had heard of worked with. Of course there wasn't much choice to begin with. He was the only one working with new medication trials and investigating whether there was a genetic component to this horrible disease. They made multiple trips, each requiring multiple days to see him over the course of a year. He was the current expert but he was also a first class jerk. Arrogant, dismissive, insensitive. His mind was interested in the lab, not holding the patient's hand. My parents made the conscious decision to put up with his personality in exchange for expertise and cutting edge care. My mother was the kind of person who could usually work her way onto the good side of the harshest person. She always treated him respectfully even though he tended to be terse and cold. Eventually, he did thaw. His demeanor didn't change that much but they did reach a mutual understanding and he did really care about the people he worked with. Just wasn't great about demonstrating it. I can't imagine how disheartening it would be to have a practice full of patients you knew you couldn't do much for. A perfect setup for staying detached out of self preservation. When she died he sent my father a very kind and thoughtful letter apologizing for not being able to help her more.
OP its up to you to decide whether the consistent high quality of the care you get is worth putting up with a less-than accommodating demeanor. If you want to be critical, at least be just about why.
Last edited by Parnassia; 10-30-2020 at 01:24 PM..
I really can't think of too many doctors I like. In fact I can't think of any as far as professionally. I just went to an orthopedic surgeon for an evaluation of my knee. They took x-rays. The assistant mainly spoke to me, rustled my knee around to see where it hurt. Then the doctor came in, showed me the x-rays and where the bones were rubbing against each other. No cartilege there. Then I spoke to him about my hip which is a source of pain. So then he told me I need to see a hip doctor. He also told me the recovery from a hip replacement is much easier than from a knee replacement.
But when I was leaving, I mentioned that I could not bend my knee so as to get to cut my toenails and he said, "See a podiatrist!" I thought that was such a stupid answer. Because I wanted to know why my knee would not bend. And if it would if I had a replacement. He thought his remark was funny. I thought it was dumb. But since I was on my way out of the office, he did not answer me beyond his idea that I should see a podiatrist to get my toenails cut.
This is one reason why I don't like doctors. He is top-rated though.
He answered your question in the consultation with the x-ray.
It's a shame he didn't spend a few more minutes talking to you about why your knee won't bend to cut your toe nails. With COVID, not many people have the money for co-pays to see another doctor, especially to cut toe nails. I have knee issues every few years where it hurts to bend it. My pain management doctor gives me injections in office into my knee. I don't know if it would work for you or if your knee is too far gone.
I would have thought an orthopedic doctor would do hips too. You learn something new every day.
We had a great female GP when we moved here in 2008. She left to be a hospice doctor in late 2009 or 2010. Her replacement is just as great but hard to get into. I've seen a few doctors there that I won't see again. One accused me of my medication allergies being in my head even though they're listed in my record from various doctors in the university network that I see, such as morphine closing my throat. She swears I can't be allergic to steroids. I had to see another doctor last week who was pretty good, so I'll see her again.
My hub has not been as lucky there. He recently switched to another practice but after about 3 months is done. He keeps paying his bill but they keep saying he owes money. The last straw was they charged him $10 to send out the last bill where they said he owes more money.
I agree but would it have killed the doctor to spend another 3 minutes answering the OP's question?
Seems to me this 3 minutes would have turned into another hour, and doctors quite often have other patients to attend to. And at the end of the day, they might even have families to go home to, and dinner to eat, and bathrooms to visit.
She should have told him DURING the visit that she couldn't bend her knee enough to touch her toes. Why didn't she tell him that DURING the visit - which was, as she stated in the first paragraph, the reason why she went to the orthopedist in the first place?
She went there because of her knee. It's her responsibility to explain her symptoms to the doctor during the visit. Not when the visit is over and she's on her way out the door.
I agree. Unfortunately insurance often has a lot of limitations when you see the specialist, especially orthopedics and similar specialties. If you got a referral for your knee, got x-rays for the knee, and suddenly start going on about the hip the entire appointment with just a short talk about the knee at the end, it is going to make it hard for the orthopedist to do anything. He would probably need to have x-rays or some other imaging of your hip. Some types of insurance also limit you to talking about only one issue per short appointment (again, not the patient’s issue or fault, but an unfortunate reality). It’s best to get everything out there at the beginning, starting with the main reason you are there, and then work your way to other issues if there is time.
Yes. We should think about what we need from the doc, and make sure to ask pertinent questions. If you have multiple pains, tell her where they are. She’ll decide to treat you or to refer you on. Be specific. Be to the point. Know what you need from the doc and address that early on.
Go see another doctor. There a good doctors out there. My orthopedic doctor was fantastic. He treated me for a broken ankle, repaired my rotator cuff, and repaired my torn meniscus.
You were lucky that your ortho was generalized. Most specialize to certain joints/areas; knees, ankles, wrists, hip, etc.
Working in medical education my preference is always to find a specialist with even further specialization. For example, when I was investigating Bariatric surgery, one group has general surgeons and a vascular surgeon as their team. I passed and went with a group where all MDs specialized in Bariatrics. Studies have shown when a surgeon performs specific procedures exclusively the complication rates go down. A practice makes perfect situation.
That is all that matters.
But why would he suggest a podiatrist, when a nail salon would do a better job cutting nails?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roselvr
I agree but would it have killed the doctor to spend another 3 minutes answering the OP's question?
I think sometimes they are so overwhelmed with patients, it is hard to switch to small talks.
During my 4-week radiation therapy, the Radiation Oncologist (a top-rated) routinely asked if I had any questions at the end of each consultation. So at the last consult, I said in the Patient's Guide, radiation could lead to a secondary cancer ..... . She cut me short with "where would we be 30 years from now?" That was not what I meant, I was shocked by her answer and quickly added " err ... which part of the body would the secondary cancer be?" To which she replied: "Breast!" Should have kept my mouth shut.
I had an amazing doctor, she was the first doctor who I really trusted her, she was wicked smart and really knew her stuff, but she retired her practice and moved back to Taiwan to take care of her elderly parents. I was forced to randomly pick a replacement doctor and I do not like him at all. I just turned 74 but I am in excellent health, I can't attribute it to anything that I do because I don't exercise enough and I eat pretty much whatever I want. The first time I saw him he said "you don't take any prescription drugs, how can that be?" Well he proceeded to try to prove that something (anything) was wrong with me he ran every test he could think of on me and everything was normal, so he sent me off for more tests - they were all normal too.
I have no idea why this guy wants to prove that there is something wrong with me, but I've never encountered anything like this and I don't like it
I had an amazing doctor, she was the first doctor who I really trusted her, she was wicked smart and really knew her stuff, but she retired her practice and moved back to Taiwan to take care of her elderly parents. I was forced to randomly pick a replacement doctor and I do not like him at all. I just turned 74 but I am in excellent health, I can't attribute it to anything that I do because I don't exercise enough and I eat pretty much whatever I want. The first time I saw him he said "you don't take any prescription drugs, how can that be?" Well he proceeded to try to prove that something (anything) was wrong with me he ran every test he could think of on me and everything was normal, so he sent me off for more tests - they were all normal too.
I have no idea why this guy wants to prove that there is something wrong with me, but I've never encountered anything like this and I don't like it
Makes you wonder if some docs feel ( subconsciously, perhaps) that a healthy elderly patient taking no prescription drugs is somehow an affront to their mission, something like that. It's just so common for elderly folks to have some condition for which they take meds, I guess they are skeptical when they encounter a patient who doesn't.
Fortunately they don't all feel like that. As you mentioned, your former PCP wouldn't have.
My PCP doesn't either. She's happy to see patients who have no health issues, and very encouraging for maintenance of good health by lifestyle means. I'm 73, and in fairly decent health with no comorbidities except for sometimes hard to control high blood pressure ( strong family history) and a wonky cardiac electrical system ( no coronary artery disease) which has been helped a great deal by technological intervention ( pacemaker) and medication to keep under control. But otherwise, things are good and I feel as though my PCP is my best cheerleader for continued maintenance of my good health.
I really can't think of too many doctors I like. In fact I can't think of any as far as professionally. I just went to an orthopedic surgeon for an evaluation of my knee. They took x-rays. The assistant mainly spoke to me, rustled my knee around to see where it hurt. Then the doctor came in, showed me the x-rays and where the bones were rubbing against each other. No cartilege there. Then I spoke to him about my hip which is a source of pain. So then he told me I need to see a hip doctor. He also told me the recovery from a hip replacement is much easier than from a knee replacement.
But when I was leaving, I mentioned that I could not bend my knee so as to get to cut my toenails and he said, "See a podiatrist!" I thought that was such a stupid answer. Because I wanted to know why my knee would not bend. And if it would if I had a replacement. He thought his remark was funny. I thought it was dumb. But since I was on my way out of the office, he did not answer me beyond his idea that I should see a podiatrist to get my toenails cut.
This is one reason why I don't like doctors. He is top-rated though.
When I needed back surgery, I went to see an orthopedic surgeon my pain management doctor recommended. This man was so arrogant and brusque in his answers, I felt intimidated to even ask him any questions. He acted like he was having a bad day and seeing me was making it worse. When I told my pain management doc I didn't want to go back, he said "well, that's a shame, because he's the best surgeon in your plan". So I went back. But I spoke to a nurse in his office first and told her how I felt. He was nicer to me after that, and my surgery was very successful.
I think arrogance might just come with the territory, IDK.
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