And that conclusion doesn't strike you as judgmental (not to mention a bit of a stretch )? I don't/won't dispute the guy was a weasel/horrible to you, but I don't think I've ever heard of a death certificate or autopsy report giving as Cause of Death: "Nasty Judgmental Behavior"

My first PCP, whom I had from age 15 until my 40s was known for having the greatest number of patients, and assembly lined more through his office per day, than any other in the metropolitan area, yet the vast majority loved the guy. I think he was one of those guys in it strictly for the money. Always had a smile on his face, (no wonder why) and fast! Then one day out of the blue we got a form letter informing us he had retired and sold his practice to some guy we never heard of. (We learned about a year later that he had not, in fact, retired; he just moved his practice to Florida and went into Geriatrics along with the aging baby-boomers - he followed the money again.)

Before we ever got a chance to meet the new guy, he sold the practice to a third guy, who was a walking poster boy for the arrogant whippersnapper with a chip on his shoulder. For some reason we've still to fathom (we suspect it was because my wife had the audacity to question him about something) we got a form letter informing us that our "doctor-patient relationship was no longer therapeutic", and we had 30 days to find a new doctor. It was the best favor he could have done us, because we found (with the help of the internet - see below), and got, the best PCP for us that we've ever had or could ever possibly imagine (who also happens to be just a couple years younger than us, and on a similar wavelength, "so we've got that going for us, which is nice..." )

Funny thing is, our current guy will be the first to volunteer that patients either love him or hate him - no middle ground, and he's kind of a Will Rogers type with respect to most patients (met very few he hasn't liked).

In my lifetime, I've met more doctors than I would have cared to, and all kinds - nice, nasty, brilliant, incompetent, sharp, clueless, and just plain weird.... Enough to learn/realize that there are all kinds, and it's worthwhile.... (I am loath to say "shopping" because of the negative connotation, but essentially that's what it is - just not in that way) interviewing & trying them to find the right ones for our "team". The internet has made this process vastly easier. Not that long ago, the only way you could vet doctors was by recommendation or word of mouth, and there was very little in the way of background (education/certification) checks or ratings. Nowadays, there's very little you can't find out about prospective doctors before ever making that first appointment. I predict this will be a boon for patients and medicine in the long term. Doctors are being consumer (as well as peer & professionally) reviewed and rated, and they will have to sharpen their game much more than just having the sheepskin & shingle to hang. Points for charisma and performance.

Doc