Alice, The people who do benefit are the HMO's, insurance companies and drug companies. Even doctors aren't exactly happy with the status quo in medicine, as you would obviously know! It needs to stop being driven by drugs, greed and fear of lawsuits.

Heat Intolerant, When that neurologist intentionally kept a test result from me, I honestly believe he should've had his medical license stripped from him immediately. It was felonious and intentionally cruel and is the polar opposite of what doctors have "sworn" not to do.

It's very sad that patients and doctors are literally pitted against each other this way. What a waste of effort. The irony is that if they had treated me well, I wouldn't have felt the need to file medical board complaints. If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have read ALL of my doctors' notes in an effort to be accurate in those complaints. If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have found my positive antibody test.

I know you have been through so much too. I find it beyond sad - and maddening - that patients have to go through so much for decent care.

I think instead of doctor conferences, we need patient-doctor conferences to discuss these issues and come up with solutions. Complaining feels good for awhile but it doesn't help in the long run.

Prejudice, sexism, protocols, algorithms, lack of creativity and so many other things get in the way of a GREAT doctor-patient relationship. One thing is certain, business as usual is NOT working for any of us. And the cavalier mistreatment of patients should not be tolerated under any circumstances!

Annie

I guess this wasn't so "off topic" after all.