There should be a gig like patient's advocate -- how many times do you ever go into a doctor's office feeling on top of your game?

I admit that the times I've been to the ER with people it's helped me stay focussed (but that time I was fighting morphine for mental clarity was a bit tiring). But that's still about you remembering to be on your own case.

Someone calm and reasonably impartial to remember why you went in, and to keep the doctor reasonable themselves.

Sorry you had to go see Dr. House, Allyson.

Cass can't come out to play, but she sent this for the Alias (and other) fans [link]

I have no sense of humor right now.

I rarely do when I'm not feeling good and my experience at the doctor is horrifying.

Signed,
Still Not Over the Whole Crystel Meth Thing

The New York Times has been having a series on what it's like to be a patient, and their most recent one was about bad doctor behavior. They said that traditionally almost nobody complains, but big practices and HMOs are really working to get people to comment on the way the doctor treats you. If nobody complains, nothing gets done, but if people complain, TPTB can make the doctors go to sensitivity boot camp, or even fire them. TPTB like happy patients who come back.

Scarlett Johansson in NYT Style. What strikes me the most is the contradiction between:

Johansson, who is 21 but whose poise makes her seem older

and, well, the incredibly vapid rest of the article. I can very well imagine the sorts of older men that would date her. It's not flattering in the least.

eta:

if people complain, TPTB can make the doctors go to sensitivity boot camp, or even fire them

Man, I got burned by an ENT months ago, and I never thought to do anything about it other than complain to my internist. I wish I'd known of things like this.

It appears to have stopped snowing. Probably not even an inch, and not sticking to the roads. What do you want to bet that traffic will be a complete nightmare anyway?

and, well, the incredibly vapid rest of the article. I can very well imagine the sorts of older men that would date her. It's not flattering in the least.

That article was great. The reporter just let Johansson take all the verbal rope she needed to hang herself. "I don't like stuff, except my closets of designer dresses and cashmere socks, but everyone must give me gifts all the time even if they're unsatisfying, like a car that doesn't come with a valet"

That article was great.

That's why I totally don't get the poise line.

Mom's dealt with complete incompentence from her former eye doctor, her chronic pain for the last 2 years was a serious problem and even though he kept telling her take Tylenol it actually does nothing to relieve the pain she was having.

Not only has she written a letter to the doctor himself but she's contacted her HMO and what ever regulatory board there is for eye doctors. Plus her doctor was so pissed off about the treatment he received HE wrote a few letters about this.

My advice is to complain in person and in writing and when you change doctors let the new doctor know exactly why you are switching.

I just sent my doctor an email complaining about the appointment. I feel better, now.