Need opinion(s) on doctor

[Lilla]

I found out I had HCV Dec06; started treating Feb07; doctor I had just up and left - don't know where he went.  The other group of doctors he was with called me to let me know this and to tell me my appt was cancelled - no referral, nothing.  I expressed to them how unprofessional this was since I was taking Interferon & Riba....got an appt. with a doctor in the group.     Was not happy with doctor I spoke to.    Nurse finally sent me order for blood work.    I went elsewhere and found another doctor I felt comfortable with outside this group.     Now 6 months later, I finally get a bill from the first group of doctors (my ins. picked up some of the tab); I never got a call from their office to see if the blood work order was done.  In fact, I never heard from this group.

Sorry to be long winded, but with everyone's experiences with doctors, is this a normal protocol?   Never a follow up, billing 6 months out, etc.?    I know we must be proactive on our own healthcare, and I have been, but is there no duty on the medical - doctort side?    
With the help of this forum, I feel like I've 75% treated myself and interpreted my own blood work. The other 25% came from the doctor(s) who actually wrote the prescriptions.

[tumbleweed1999]

WOW!!!   NO - this is not normal protocol.    Sorry you had such a tough time right off the bat.  Hope this new Dr. is better.  Is he/she a GI/Hep. Specialist?

With some Drs. getting any information from them is like pulling hen's teeth.  THEY never call, they MAY have a nurse call you, they don't send you a copy of lab results and if there is nothing "bad" in the labs, they don't call or notify you at all.   Been there -:((    You might want to try to contact the old office and get a complete copy of your records, incl. labs.  They should "give" them to you but some make you pay. -:(.  You want the entire file, including the Drs. notes.  I know you probably had your new Dr. get a copy for their files, but you really need to have one for yourself.

I've never had a Dr. "bug out" but the rest sounds all too familiar. In fact, if they had "followed up" last year, I might not be "well on the way to 80% fibrosis". Somebody "dropped the ball".  I trusted my Dr. and they blew it.  (That sounds like I'm bitter - guess maybe I am a bit.)

I didn't realize what a "good" Dr./group was until we moved 4 months ago.   Now they always send me a copy of the lab work; 2 of my Drs. personally call me. - my GI just the other evening, after doing "proceedures" all day, called to let me know that my labs were down and to go ahead and reduce my Prednisone..  This was after 6pm.!!  He could have had one of his nurses call me the next day, but he didn't.  I pray that you have or can find a good Dr./group.

Stay in touch.

Geri

[Lilla]

thank you for your comments.   my current doctor is an infectious disease specialist, specializing in Hep C.   The former doctor was a GI, with a group of other docs that specialized in GI matters.

I believe I will write a letter to this group outlining my total dissatisfaction with them, etc., but will probably not get any response.    The doctor that last saw me with the GI group commented to me, after I indicated that he was referred highly to me by my general MD ---- his comment was "that's because I'm the best".    I never got an apology for the way they just left me hanging, with no referral etc.     That's behind me me now, but I sure get upset all over again when I talk about it.

At end of 24 weeks I was UND.......current doctor wants me to have PCR test at 6 months.

[litha7]

It sounds to me that the 1st office was completely unprofessional and insensitive. Just a note: if they pursue the financial "obligation" -- or even if they don't -- it's really easy to pull up the Better Business Bureau website. Besides alleviating a BS charge, you may be helping a future patient. What happened to the days when the Dr. was to serve the patient, instead of vice versa??? Send a message.

[Andiamo1]

I don't know what state agency in Florida regulates doctors, but I am sure you can find out and file a complaint with them.  At the very least tell the doctor's office that you will notify all appropriate agencies about their behavior.

You will be providing a great service to the people in the community by  making people aware of this.

[jmjm530]

I treated with a pretty well-known hepatologist and can say I received excellent care and advice as long as I was on top of things. I often wondered if I simply stopped showing up one day mid-treatment, if anyone would bother to call, other than perhaps the appointment secretary who perhaps would leave a message. Of course, I never tested that theory but medical care doesn't have much of a personal touch/interest these days as far as I've noticed, esp in the bigger city hospitals. Of course I'm sure there are exceptions, just what I've observed. So, no, your story doesn't surprise me at all.

-- Jim