There's Got to be a Better Way

I'm not sure how many of you have experienced the same frustrations in finding a doctor as I have. Why is it so hard to pick a frickin' doctor? Let me vent, and please, feel free to add your $.02 where you see fit.

It pisses me off that with every changing insurance policy, you inevitably lose one or more of your doctors in the process. With my latest change, I have lost my physician (not that I liked him in the first place), my dentist, my obgyn (this one made me angry) AND my optomotrist. I basically had to revamp my entire physician address book. I'm secure on 2 out of the 4 right now, but I've encountered a barricade.

It makes me angry that I pay out of my pocket well in to the thousands every year for healthcare that I rarely see an ROI on (actually, I'm thankful for that but that parts not my complaint). What I'm complaining about is that for these thousands of dollars that I pay out of my pocket, I'm given a list (a very vague list) of names, addresses (1/2 the time out of date) and phone numbers of various physicians that I am "allowed" to go to, OH, IF they are accepting new patients that is. IF I'm lucky, I get a graduation year and the name of the med school and what languages they speak (not that Italian is helpful for me living in San Antonio, TX), but nevertheless, if I want to a doctor that can speak Italian, I can pick "Dr. Giorgio". Oh, and another 5% of the doctors on the list offer a link (that fools you into thinking you will get more information on them). But this link, it sends you to some lame website that some company spieled to the med group the doctor belongs too, and has created a very generic site with, what else, the doctors name, address and telephone number (SURPRISE). Oh, and also, there are a bunch of default articles that have been uploaded to the site, so that we "morons" can be fooled to think that the site actually contains "more" information then what was actually given to us by our network provider list.

The fact that you can sort through the doctors by 'specialty' is a righteous JOKE. Pick 'Internal Medicine' and you'll pull at least 1/3 of the doctors on the entire list. Oh, and guess what, just because they say it's a 'specialization' doesn't actually mean they can help you with what ails you. For example, I called one of the 'internalists' and actually, got a hold of the Cardiovascular Health clinic. I told the woman on the phone I was looking for a new doctor to treat my blood pressure and she acted like I was putting her out. She said that Dr. "Name" treats people for heart disease and did I ahve high cholesterol too? I said, "no" and then she struggled with telling me that she couldn't help me when she finally blurted out, "no, we can probably help you" in which she proceeded to ask me personal info (address, etc.). "Excuse me? you can 'probably' help me?" If you don't WANT to help me, then I'm finding another doctor, thank you.

Doctor/Patient relationships are completely non-existent these days. They examine you inside and out and then they move you through the gates with the other cattle they are constantly herding all day. Heaven forbid in the ten minutes you actually get to visit with them you might ask them a question in which it might actually eat up some of their "precious time."

My suggestion, let's get websites going with personal info on these doctors (i.e. specialties, practices, do they accept new clients, what drug companies they use, and most importantly, USER REVIEWS!!!) For God's sake, this is our lives that we are putting in their hands, why can't we ask, nay, DEMAND more information!!

p.s. sorry this is so scattered, I'm watching LOST at the same time - I'll revise later.