Today, doctors just don't seem to have the bedside manner that they used to. Here's what I've experienced: I'm simply trying to get an interpretation of an abdominal cat scan. No one will help. I've called the Radiology dept., they tell me that the Radiologist "can't" discuss my own results with me and to have the ordering Dr. call the Radiologist and then the ordering Dr. would get back with me, and the ordering Dr. for the CT...read the results "with a grain of salt" according to the receptionist (A 3 person office)then I call my OBGYN to ask them to translate the results, they tell me to go back to the Dr. who ordered the CT scan because they can't interpret it, so I go back to the office, in person after phone calls have been made with no return calls and do you know what I had experienced?.........

First of all, they were trying to schedule me with a Gastrio. Dr. and ended up putting me on the phone only to find out that they were scheduling me for SURGERY and in the middle of the phone call (This is at my Dr's office) they tell me to hang up that they gave me the wrong Dr.! To top that.....I felt uneasy and was VERY stressed to where I couldn't even eat anything because I didn't know if food would irritate my stomach since I didn't know what was going on other than there is a small bowel problem, and when I asked the Dr. (The same one who thought it was just an inflamed muscle and put me on medication...luckily I stopped),I had asked him by looking at the xray, if he could tell if there was cancer or anything majorly wrong. His comment was very rudely in front of the receptionist, "Didn't we already have this discussion" and I said yes, but I have since learned the meaning of the word "opacification" which I was concerned about on the CT scan. I stated that I was told that it could mean, this and that etc...and the Dr. RUDELY interrupted me and asked who I was talking to and I said a Dr. friend of mine (I didn't get to finish what I was saying) and the Dr. Yelled at me and said "THEN GO TALK TO THEM" and stormed out of the reception area. Now, I'm a new patient there and needless to say, I was in shock by this behavior. I'm not sure why it's such an act of congress getting some peace of mind or some answers. I know that when you schedule an appt. they pretty much factor in 15 min. for you. But, if I hardly got to talk to him in the first place, I think I have a right to ask questions. What is wrong with these Dr.'s today? I'm ashamed of them. It seems that once they get you in the room, they're getting their money and that's all they care about. Shame on these Dr's who don't treat their patients like they would their own family members

Your doc obviously doesn't like people getting a second opinoin so to speak without telling him. As for the radiologist not being able to tell you the results he was doing his job. He is only supposed to read the x-rays and write down what he sees and pass this on to the proper person which is your doctor. He is a radiologist and is not qualified to diagnose you based on your x-ray results since he does have your chart in front of him nor is he an MD. The office staff seems less than professional in regards to your privacy etc. but then that is a whole separate subject. Not to sound critical of you but I am wondering if perhaps a different approach with doc when you saw him would have helped. Would he have been more receptive if you had merely asked him what he felt the opacities seen on your CT scan represented. This would have put the ball in his court and would have made him tell you what he felt these could have been. By telling him that you were told that it could mean, this and that etc. you were essentially telling him what it might be which probably seemed like an insult to him because you were trying to play doctor. When you said you have been talking to a doc friend that also probably rubbed him the wrong way becuase if this "MD" seemed to know it all as to what might be going on then he probably wondered why the heck you were in HIS office right now if this other doc knew so much. I hope this makes sense and it doesn't excuse his behavior but I think it explains why some of the people reacted to you the way they did.

I agree with mlgable. You probably were not thinking because of your state but often with these things you get what you want with the right approach and appreciating how the other person is thinking and feeling.

In saying what I did, it does not excuse the doctor's behaviour who should have been big enough and professional enough to put it all aside and try to help you (but not if you were in a very emotional state - were you?)

Radiologist don't make diagnoses. They look at shadows on an Xray film and write a report.
Some doctors want to also see the radiographs but other don't because they are not trained to look at shadows.

Sometimes it's best not to get the report because we don't understand the Medical terms used.

Harry

Harry does alright with medical terms.

Pkay, I will try and answer a little bit from everyone here. The radiologist IS an MD. That's why I was calling to talk to him. I wanted to know what he was specifically looking for. When I was in my reg. Dr.'s office, I was not emotional, I was just concerned because I felt that I couldn't eat anything for fear that whatever I'm dealing with, food would aggravate it. As far as talking to my personal Dr. friend, I was just asking him to translate some medical words and their meaning as far as cause and effect. Pretty general stuff. If my doctor has a pride problem, then I don't want to have him as my Doc. anyway. He should encourage 2nd opinions if he is confident in what he tells his patients. I knew that he was not. That's why I questioned it. Hearing, "I don't know's" and "I don't think" and "probably" doesn't put my mind at ease. I can't go on assumption...especially when it comes to health.

N2golf, I think that you should see another doctor. He should have tried to help you no matter what. The thing I have learned , is that you should like your doctor. If you don't like them, and they seem to be rude and uncaring, then you should see another doctor. Your health depends on the doctor. They should always be helpful and understanding towards their patients.

I agree. If you are not comfortable and satisfied with your physician nor him/her with you, move on. As for radiologists, their job is just to perform the test(s), interpret the tests/x-rays, type up a report and send it to the MD that ordered it and it is that MDs job to tell you the results - they are not your direct physician. They rarely deal with patients. Also, don't expect to get too much info over the phone, the HIPPA went into effect 4/14 (privacy act - it's now the federal law) - this will depend on their policies as well. If you have any questions on the "HIPPA", just do a search.