http://myheart.net/articles/md-vs-do/

This is being discussed on another group I am a member of. I saw a wonderful D.O. from my 30's into my 60's...primarily for back support...But he was the doctor that FINALLY got my thyroid supported...no labs and just a call to the pharmacy to start on desiccated thyroid. I had been working for 10 yrs to get help but numbers kept telling the other doctors I'm OK. This great D.O. knew differently. The man worked PT into his 90's...I miss him, he helped me so much.

My daughter and I are both considering a D.O. that's been recommended to her recently as she has a tendon foot issue and needs to get other opinions than just a surgeon.

http://lotusew.com/portfolio/cynthia-kodama-do/

This is the D.O. I'm talking about that my daughter found, told me and I told my neighbor who has been dealing with a stiff neck for over 5 yrs since being in rehab from hip replacement and sleeping on bad pillow as she's told me. She can barely move her neck in either direction, so arms and hands are all bad too since circulation issues.

Patients are entitled to 15 min free phone consult which my neighbor has tomorrow but she made a office appt for 4/19 and doctor takes medicare!!!!! Hopefully she can get her neck moving.

Do you know any MD that will give you a 15 min free call...I don't think so. Good news for a change. I may opt to see her later as I have enough refills on the couple meds thru the year. My integrative MD is moving again so don't know where she's going to land now.

I had finally decided to pick up the phone
after going through my providers book
looking for a pulmonary doctor first
And the an internist
Well the first thing I decided before calling anyone
There would be three questions I would like to know before
making an appointment
First
How long does the doctor spend with his patients AFTER the initial visit

Second
Is it first come first serve
Or
Is it by appointment only
And does the doctor double book
or triple book

Third
If they could please send the umpteen sheets of paperwork
that we have to fill out upon initial visit
for it is difficult for me to do with my hand and not to mention my neck back shoulders
arms the whole package

Well the census after five attempts goes as such for the five offices I called:

ALL SAID
10 MINUTES
10
10 MINUTES

REALLY
HONESTLY
REALLY

The next thing I did was call my insurance carrier
I have had awesome care whenever calling upon them
Company is called "Clover" not to long ago it was
"CarePoint"
Point they were helpful
And spent over an hour with me on the phone
I happen to get someone who is furthering his education in
Bio-medicine
He could see the previous conversation
It was noted in bits and pieces
It was a pleasure to be handled with care and compassion
After i explained everythin that had happened he too the burden off my shoulders and suggested to make the called himself and for him to ask the questions
I certainly agreed to that
Gave him my specifications
He tells me he would not stop
And he would not want me to hear another
doctors office say ten minutes
I also asked him to recall the offices I called already
Just out of curiosity
And in the end of the day
Christopher calls me back
And begins to explain that it certainly was not me
That the census was
TEN MINUTES

So what he found was the best my book has to offer
I can have the pulmonary doctor as an internist
dual title
Well bottom line the best this doctor I will be seeing 5/3/16
Gives his patients twenty minutes and more it depends
Twenty minutes
maybe more
depends on patients sickness
I said thank you Christopher for you valuable
comforting help eliminating any negative responses
and eventually by process of elimination can we get anywhere

I then got off the phone
Called the facility and ask the three important questions
And have my appointment scheduled for May 5th

And that did not surprise me
This too is a problem
Getting an appointment at a reasonable
time not more than a month

I will wait see the pulmonary doctor to rule out
my thought
Not to mention it
Just hoping it isnt that knawing fear
Cancer
Been there
Still taking meds for that

This my friends is the
General census
And Christopher too was not pleased
And clearly understands my frustration

More power to ourselves
Making it work
And I will make them listen
I will
And I will call the insurance company
For reason that I mentioned above

We shall see
We SHALL see
Till then
Hoping a good experience
and continued feeling better head wise
It was helpful
And I was grateful
All is documented

Me

Just wanted to say that yes....I have had 15+ minute conversations on the phone with both my PCP and my PM Dr.

When my husband passed away in August of last year his doctor came to visitation and our previous Nurse Pract came to the funeral.

There are some truly amazing doctors out there that really do care. And I thank the Good Lord for them.

Just wanted to share my positive experiences with dr's.

Thank you

Debi from Georgia

So happy to hear a POSITIVE response to their doctors care over them
It is a difficult thing to find
It wasn't like this when I was a kid
Not even when my children were born thirty five years ago
I am trying with the help of insurance company to do some work
for me
Good going to doctors
who care enough to a least
LISTEN
Love
Me

Many pros and cons on doctors that is for sure. Just maybe more doctors "care" when one lives in a smaller community...I live in a major metro area and it's so fast and furious and I think about my most recent bad experience with surgeon for hip job...not good...an almost assembly line experience now that I can reflect on it all.

Being born and raised in a small town in the East I can still think back to the caring doctors who came to homes...talk about going back in history. And when patients could not afford the cheap O.V. the doctor said that's ok no charge. Boy am I going back in time. You live long enough you can go back in a long long timeframe.

Good to hear other's experiences.

Well, my daughter reported quickly to me about her 90 minute appt with D.O. She said "mom I never had a doctor do what she did"...my daughter has more hope now for the foot issue...time will tell. A surgeon was ready to do a surgery which can be over a year rehab and then who knows. She cannot go thru any surgery now, she's raising children on her own. She goes back next week.

I'm thinking about the seeing the D.O. but with the hip parts now in my body I have to be careful about alignment. So I'll think about it...she does take Medicare.

The days of "house calls" were a part of my life, too, but it was NOT limited to small towns. I lived in a very large metropolitan area, and we, too, enjoyed the convenience of doctors making house calls.

While many of us have had some "not so great" experiences with a doc or two, you may find that many are very satisfied with their physician(s).

It is sad that your poor experiences in the past have created a blockade from future care by some of the wonderful care that may be available to you from an MD. That is your choice and may be what works best for you.

I have had some terrific MD's, some have SAVED my life. I have had some BAD MD's, that almost killed me. All MD's are NOT created equal. Some have GREAT bedside manners. Some are very skilled but have the bedside manner of a monster. I, personally, do not choose to lump them all into one pile and dismiss them from my life. But that is just ME. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and choices.

I currently have a team of specialists that I wouldn't trade for anything. Am I 100% happy with all of them ALL the time. NO. They can have bad days, too. They are just as human as the patients they treat.

Do I trust them with my life? You betcha bottom dollar on that one. If I didn't, they would not be my doctor.

Do I ever disagree with them? Yes, but we work as a team, and I have input in any and all decisions about my care.

It really breaks my heart to hear some of the poor care some people receive.

Maybe I am just very lucky, but I have the utmost respect and admiration for my 8 doctors, all MD's.

Have I ever had a bad outcome from a decision made concerning my care in the past? Yes, but at the time, it was considered the best decision. Hindsight is always 20/20.

Don't think for a minute that I believe they are above fault in all things. I am one of the first to call a doc out on something that I feel is improper. There ARE some BAD doctors practicing medicine, but I am not going to forsake the good ones just because there some that don't measure up.

I am very grateful that they cared enough to put themselves through all the work, challenges, and effort, to be there for me when I need them. I don't want to even imagine my life without them. After all, I am trusting them with my very life. They are always willing to help alleviate my pain and suffering.

Hi and thanks for your comments. I don't have many doctors in my life. My one integrative MD and now I'm considering the D.O. my daughter has begun to see...right now she is positive with her first visit...as she said she doesn't want to jinx her thinking.

I've had a great D.O. for over 30 yrs taking care of my back and he's gone now and then I ended up with a mess of hip replacement. Otherwise I'm healthy as I've been taking supps for over 25 yrs. It's the advanced OA and hip mess.

I'm sure there are good doctors but I'm not interested in pharma drugs so I look for alternative healing protocols. That's not conventional MD's.

I hope the D.O. my daughter has started with gives her relief as she's been thru stress/trauma in her life and really got messed up with pharmaceticals. She's doing a 360degree turn around.

My sister is really in a bad way now as she took so many drugs for the MS she's been dealing with...very sad. I don't have a great taste in my mouth/mind for conventional medicine. I think most know that from hearing me here. Take care and we do what we do. I'm glad you have a good team for your health issues. I have used dr google so much and friend's experiences and support groups.

Dear Caroline,

I think everyone is entitled to make their own decisions about how they live their own life and I totally respect your decision to have your views about MD's as you have reasons to have the feelings you possess.

We may have differing opinions but we also have different experiences. Different opinions are just that, opinions. There is no right or wrong to an opinion. They are personal to each person and deserve to be respected, and I respect your choices. My post was not intended to persuade you to alter your choices or opinion.

I think everyone should do what they need to do to make their own life better in their own way.

I have a young friend, many years my junior, that does not believe in any sort of health care from any source. We obviously differ but I believe she has every right to her choices as I do to mine. I wouldn't want anyone telling me whom I should see or shouldn't see, and I think everyone is entitled to their own choices.

I sincerely wish the best for you and your daughter. We all find help in various ways.