WARNING! Long rant.

I did it, I fired my doctor today. I couldn't take it anymore! Some of you may remember I have discussed him before. I am on Tricare Prime and he's the only doctor in my area that's close. Well, six years later and numerous complaints later I have to let him go for my health.

He's a sweet old man, really he is. BUT, he doesn't even have a fax machine nor computer to get my referrals in on time nor does he call like he claims he did. I had to pay out of pocket several times and I am sick of that since all he had to do was fix it. It's his job when he agrees to be a Prime Care Manager.

That's not the only reason. His office has gone downhill. It was bad enough six years ago when I started but he had a sweet receptionist who cleaned up and made it as nice as she could. It's old, it's musty and let's just say having a pap in there kind of gives you the creeps. Oh and he has no nurse so forget about a witness for exams.

He has also been sued for malpractice. He just shelled out over a million for misdiagnosing a patient with bladder cancer. I tried to look over it since the patient got a second opinion within four months and the outcome was the same whether he was dx'd early or not.

He makes comments to me that he has patients come in every three months because he doesn't make anything off Tricare, Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance. Hmmmm, and I thought he was looking out for ME.

Another patient just quit after nine years with him. She claims he misdiagnosed her son for nine years. Not sure what was wrong, didn't ask, not my business. Several other patients have quit too and his receptionist I like so much? She left the practice last year. All too close together in my opinion.

My son Chris has had knee issues and this doctor refuses to send him to an ortho. He thinks he can fix it. Nik has major sinus issues and almost went into pneumonia last year. He wouldn't send him to an ENT.

The final straw. I haven't told but a couple here what's been going on with me. I have been having heart palpitations for several months now. I asked the doctor about it and he sent me for an EKG. Of course it came back normal as I suspected because palpitations wont show up unless your actively having them. I brought him the results that day and asked if I should be wearing a heart monitor. He said no, insurance will only pay for that if the EKG was abnormal. Ummm, that's not what the EKG woman said. She said that's the only way to get a good reading of palpitations. That or go for a stress test or heart ultra sound.

I brought this up and he said I didn't need the testing. He even went so far to ask me to come in when I have the palpitations so he can see what is going on. That is near to impossible since they only last a few minutes. More than likely my palpitations are from the upper chamber of the heart and not the lower. If that's the case I will be fine. He said if I have another palpitation he is going to put me on heart meds. Without further testing!

That was all I needed to hear. What if this is just anxiety? What if it's normal heart palpitations? Sheesh, what in the world? Heart meds could slow my heart too much. WOW.

I have heart disease in my family. My mom, double bypass at age 49. My dad, dead at 49, massive heart attack. Don't you think even in layman's thinking I should be seeing a cardio doctor or at least someone who specializes in such cases?

Anyway, my new doctor is an internal medicine doctor. Since we're all adults in the house I figured we didn't need a family doctor. We'll see how this one goes. I can change whenever I want so that's good. For the record, I don't have PPO insurance. I could have taken Tricare standard but I don't like having to pay 25% plus overages and deductibles. I've always had good luck with network plans like HMO so we'll see.

Tricare has asked me to file a grievance about what's going on. I may just copy this. lol

Thanks for listening.

geez, Sandy. With all you wrote, I am having heart palpitations just reading all you have had to go through!!!

So, is the internal med doctor out-of-network?

I was not quite sure...

OMG Sandy, I can't believe you held out that long with that quack. I'm glad you got yourself a new doctor. Make sure you file your grievance!

No, he's in network.

Holy cow! You're far more patient a patient than I! Definitely file a grievance, notify your insurers, and it sounds like you might need to alert medicare and the state as well. Do everything you can to prevent him from pulling that malarkey on anyone else.

This really burns my britches!

I forgot to add that we've spoken to a couple of docs in the area (it's a small town) and when I mention my docs name they kind of look scared. One went so far to tell us he caused a huge problem among a couple of doctors at a local hospital. Not sure what about but from what I gather he has a temper that I have never seen. Oh and that lady who's child was misdiagnosed? Somehow the child's records were damaged by water.

I am glad that you have found another doctor. That other doctor sounds awful and it certainly was way overdue in leaving him. Take care.

Well, you were more patient than I would have been! I have lived with what I called heart palpitations for 24 years. It took many trips to the ER, days with a Holter monitor and more echo cardiograms than I can remember at this point to be diagnosed with supra ventricular tachycardia. SO I know how scary those can be.

As a Tricare prime patient I too have had to "fire" a few docs... most because I felt they were too free with prescription writing! Please do let Tricare know of the poor quality of care he delivered ...he sounds like one that needs to just retire.

I do understand you desire to have a doc closer to your home... I drive an hour to my neurologist because he is the BEST in the area.

I can't believe this guy still has a license to practice! Heart meds without, at the very least, ordering a Holter monitor? Pap exams without a nurse in the room? Not only is he a danger to his patients, but he's also leaving himself wideopen for a variety of lawsuits.

You did the right thing by quitting him and finding a new doc.

Glad you fired him! Hope the new doc does ok. My PCP is an internal medicine guy, and he's been the greatest. Hope the same goes for you.