Hi Synnove,

Ginnie made some very good points. In MY opinion, a good PCP takes care of everyday stuff and knows when you have conditions that warrant a specialist and directs you to them. The PCP also coordinates your care with any and ALL specialists you see. I, just as Ginnie, get copies of test results and bring them to my PCP just in case one of my specialists fail to notify him of their findings.

I go as far as to actually bring some specialists findings to another specialist in a different specialty as it could impact how they treat me for a condition within their specialty. For example: I mentioned to my endocrinologist that I was to have an injection by my pain specialist and that triggered a temporary change in meds by my endo. These two specialists are treating me for entirely different conditions yet there was a need for each to know about things outside of their specialty. My PCP does not always know immediately what is going on with my specialists so I try to keep ALL my docs informed.

Who is ultimately in charge? Sad to say but it IS YOU. Your PCP should be the coordinator but you need to help him with that at times.


It is frustrating but a patient must be their own advocate in many instances. Docs have too many patients and too little time to do everything