This certainly touched a nerve with me. I recently had to do this - fire my doctor - actually, doctors! The doctors in my health plan coverage have all been great - except for neurology. The entire department is brutal. They are simply mean and arrogant towards patients. Even the nurses are not nice. It's a very negative environment, and when you count on these people to be part of your care team, that's simply not good.

So, not only did I leave, but I filed an official complaint with my health care provider. In addition to the complaint, I also requested to see a MDS out-of-network since my provider doesn't have one within reasonable time and distance. Of course, my complaint was rejected ("our physicians are more than qualified to take care of your needs" - gag!) and the request to see the MDS was also denied. So I appealed, and that was denied as well.

Next step? I filed an official complaint with my state's Department of Managed Health Care department, who are now investigating. I also requested, through my state, an Independent Medical Review. And I'll soon be firing off yet another letter to the head of neurology and his boss as well. They may simply toss it in the trash, which wouldn't surprise me at all, but I'll feel better knowing I've had my say. It's sad that a patient has to fight so hard to get proper treatment.

Here's the kicker. While this is all in progress, my prescriptions are running out. So I found out who the pharmaceutical reps were in my area, then talked to them about which doctors they found easiest to work with. I found a neurologist within my healthcare plan that is about a 1/2 hour farther than where I usually go and went to see her. I was scared because if she was anything like the other department I've filed complaints against, I would be screwed.

Luckily, that wasn't the case. She did everything a good doctor is supposed to do. She listened to my concerns, allowed me to ask questions, offered her advice and feedback, and was willing to work with me as part of my team. What a relief!

The bottom line is, this is our health we're talking about, so it's worth fighting for. It will be stressful and may take a while to get resolved, but just keep telling yourself that you're worth it, because you are. You deserve the best healthcare that's available to you, so roll up your sleeves and fight for it!