When to fire your PCP?

[MRG]

I'm wondering what events would trigger someone to fire their old PCP and seek a new one? I'm struggling with the answer for myself and could use a good sounding board. For reference my last primary care and I had a wonderful 16 year relationship. I've moved and well....

I'm not happy with current PCP because she yells. I mean she yells a lot. I don't accept yelling, I moved my retirement up a year because my VP was a yeller and I quit after he yelled at me.

As an example she started yelling at me when I told her I had low T(testosterone(I'd been treated for 10 years prior)) and she went off yelling about how "50 years ago male doctors treated female patients with too many female hormones" and she wasn't going to be part of it! She did test my T, said it was okay. A year later, after another depression and T test, I learned she again mis-read the results and told me my numbers were normal; they weren't. I had low T spent a year and half depressed, and feel great after it was treated.

My recent issues with her are around my severe pain due to my cspine. I tried to explain what was done for me in the prior 4 episodes, over 20 years, and she doesn't want to hear it. I did get to hear why she's not comfortable prescribing more than 50% of the prior amounts of medication( her peers, her boss, her medical license, but nothing about my pain[emoji12] ). I guess she's winning, I'm not going to ask for any more hydrocodone. I'm going to finish this event out with krantom! I refuse to beg her for any more pills that she doesn't to prescribe.

When would you seek a new primary care and any tips to go about it?

 

[Scratchy]

You seem to have lost confidence in her, and do not appreciate her bedside manner. On that basis, it is certainly time to switch, in my opinion.

 

[REWahoo]

When would you seek a new primary care...

4 or 5 appointments ago.

 

[easysurfer]

Bad bedside manner is a deal breaker for me. I don't care how smart of good priced a doc is if I don't agree with the doc's bedside manner.

 

[GravitySucks]

Move on.
DW had her PCP retire and the next in line was not of the same mind as us. In particular new doctor wanted to prescribe meds not on the market long as we always liked to use long proven drugs if there are any available.
She dropped her on visit 2. I was assigned to her at my PCPs retirement and dropped her before the first viisit.
You're in charge, she obviously doesn't share your medical beliefs, why stay longer?

 

[Dtail]

You seem to have lost confidence in her, and do not appreciate her bedside manner. On that basis, it is certainly time to switch, in my opinion.

+1
At the very least the PCP must have a good bedside manner.

 

[Scrapr]

Not a PCP but a GI doc. I had a fantastic GI doc and we worked through my Dx of Crohns. She got promoted to head of the dept ....then left for another system. Randomly picked out another. Went in and had a face to face meet & greet. He was "ok" nothing like the previous doc. Thought I'd give him a chance. See if he warmed up any. It was tiime for my yearly colonoscopy so he did it. Now the previous colonoscopy the anethesiologist almost killed me. So I shared that with new GI doc. After the procedure new GI doc is walking down the row of recovery patients seeing how they feel afterwards. Except he stops and talks to one particular patient for about 15-20 minutes. I say to Mrs scrapr...great! I guess we'll get the full treatment now. ....Nope. In & out in 2-3 minutes. Buh Bye

 

[stepford]

On a related note - how many patients does your PCP see? The last time I went in (after waiting 3 months to get an appointment) my provider told me he had 3000 patients on his list. That seems a trifle excessive to me. He's a nice guy and seems competent, but reasonable access to care matters too.

 

[RAE]

Definitely time to move on.

 

[bobandsherry]

I moved after FIRE, found a new PCP and didn't care for his approach, ran hours late and wasn't very professional. Gave him a couple of visits and said oh hell no. Found a new doc and have been very happy with him.

 

[Sue J]

I had a PCP that I liked just fine. She left the practice and the practice did not have another female doctor so I found a new one. She was just ... weird. Long “get to know you” interview that included my 20 year old cat dieing recently and she put that in my record! She refused to refer me to the nephrologist near my home “I could lose my job if I refer out of my hospital system.” Then, she took a personal phone call from her realtor during my appointment. Then she used google maps to show me where she’s buying a house. The only good thing about her was that she gave me all my prescriptions with enough refills for a year. I never went back.

A few months later I got a letter telling me that she was no longer in-network for my insurance. Bye!

 

[trumpeting_angel]

These are terrible stories! There are no situations in which a physician should be yelling at you. None. Well, perhaps if the office was on fire at that moment.


Get a new doc, and get some hydrocodone. They're also having good luck with naloxone for pain control. Kratom is dangerous. Find a reasonable doctor! Ask around, call the insurance company, look at online reviews, but leave this doc.

 

[Octogirl]

When would I seek a new primary care ? As soon as the first yelling incident. Inexcusable !



Some tips - ALWAYS ask friends and locals who their PCP is and why. Be clear about what you want from a PCP - patience and listening are important. Do you go often or only once a year ? Expect every test done or more laid back ?

Get a new PCP and see a pain specialist - who will address your chronic pain.

 

[HI Bill]

Time to move on. The FIRST role of a PCP is to LISTEN to the patient. Those that don't get axed in my world.

 

[Another Reader]

When would I seek a new primary care ? As soon as the first yelling incident. Inexcusable !

And I would file a complaint with the practice manager immediately. Since they hired her, I might be looking for another practice as well.

Some tips - ALWAYS ask friends and locals who their PCP is and why. Be clear about what you want from a PCP - patience and listening are important. Do you go often or only once a year ? Expect every test done or more laid back ?

Get a new PCP and see a pain specialist - who will address your chronic pain.

Yes, this, ASAP!

 

[audreyh1]

I would not countenance the yelling. Extremely unprofessional.

 

[Katsmeow]

In the situation you describe I would definitely change providers. I would not tolerate yelling.

 

[swakyaby]

Why would anyone stay with a PCP who is disrespectful and unprofessional to you? And it was kind of you to say she “misread” the results of your testosterone level when it was more likely she lied to you about the result being “normal.” Furthermore, she does not sound qualified to manage your chronic pain; you should be seeing a pain specialist. Get recommendations from your friends and neighbors for a good PCP, check with your insurance to see which of these docs are in-network, and start making phone calls.

 

[RunningBum]

I go by effectiveness over bedside manner. When I had ACL reconstruction a few years ago, people told me Dr so-and-so was the best, but had a poor bedside manner. I wanted the best, so I went with him. I also found that as long as I came prepared with questions, he'd answer them, but if I didn't have them ready, his hand was on the door and he was gone. Once I did ask the nurse a question after, and she returned in a couple minutes with an answer that showed he thought about how it applied to me.

But this doc isn't effective, misreading T levels and not listening. That's unacceptable and reason to move on.

The yelling may just be a style. Perhaps she's hard of hearing. Perhaps she thinks you are. But if it really bothers you as I can tell it does, that's another reason to move on. Personally I probably wouldn't on this alone, but it's the content as well as the tone/volume, so that's different.

Your story about T levels is interesting. Previously I've only had total T tested, and mine is in the acceptable range, a little low, but not borderline. My new nurse practitioner ordered Free T levels as well, and that is low. I've been sluggish and somewhat depressed at all (just don't feel like doing things). She's starting me on T cream so I look forward to see if that helps.

 

[H2ODude]

I'd say you've been far more tolerant than I would be. Time to move on.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

What about if the doc is OK but Staff make a lot of mistakes?

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

What about if the doc is OK but Staff make a lot of mistakes?

We've dumped a wonderful doctor because of her office staff.


Our first pediatrician was great, she'd explain everything in as much depth as we wanted (which we always do), listen to all our concerns and worries as new parents, and was just nice and enjoyable. But she was disorganized, and her office staff were worse, and unpleasant to boot. The story that sums it up was the time we showed up for the first appointment of the day at 9am, and didn't get seen until 9:45. We asked the office staff if she had an emergency, because that happens....and she did not. It was also a nightmare ordeal getting the records from that office to the new one.


Ever since then, we try to go with a practice instead of individual practitioners. Because, for example, we love our PCP, and so we trust more that we would like others in her practice more than someone picked at random. (Our PCP isn't accepting new patients, but we're still recommending the practice to others.)

 

[MBAustin]

Definitely time to move on.

I fired my GYN of several years after she wanted to do an extremely painful procedure to check my fibroid for a second time. I got a second opinion from a GYN recommended by my PCP and he said the ultrasound gave him enough information to know that the procedure wasn't needed. So I told her about that and refused the procedure. I had already decided to switch to the 2nd opinion doctor when I got a letter from her stating that she fired me as a patient for disregarding her advice.

Interestingly, less than a year later, I was notified that she had closed her practice. However I just checked and she is still in practice in the area, so not sure what happened.

 

[W2R]

I am following this thread closely, because my internist/endocrinologist is my PCP and he is 77 years old. He has never been a very good doctor anyway, IMO, and I don't know why I have continued going to him for the past 20 years. I really should change doctors before he croaks, but I haven't made the effort to figure out what doctor would be better for me.

 

[misshathaway]

I wish I had taken my own advice - don't let the practice recommend a new PCP if the old one leaves. I think you get whoever has the least patients.

The thing is though, when you ask anyone for recommendations, they usually respond with how nice or not the doctor is. Unless the doctor is a complete jerk I'd rather select for experience, insight and not prescription-happy.