My story relates to a Medical Centre in Hong Kong, yet I suggest the same events could have happened in Oz:

In April, 2007 a patient presented to the doctor with the system that he was bleeding from the anus: Said doctor made an examination and commenting "don't worry we will look again, when this Heamaroid is better". Suspecting more than this, the patient emphasised that the material was atomising [a polyp?], not just loose. "No it's okay", was the doctor's retort. In all five minutes in the room, then out the door.

It turned out be be Stage 3/4 cancer. Back in Australia,there was a week's delay to see an Australian oncologist, because the AMA [no legal reason] would only accept a referal from an Australian GP, not evenan English educated specialist [after, the patient had pushed the point].

The patient even emailed the AMA about this referal nonsense and was ignored. At the Australian Medical Centre the doctor said, he didn't understand all the terms used by the HK specialist. Five minutes, out the door.

Treatment in Australia by the specialists was excellent. The Medical Oncologist said he could, "not emphasise too strongly the importance of keeing a strong immune system intact" for the next two years to prevent recurrence.

Back in HK, he saw the same doctor the Medical Centre. He was very relunctant to order blood tests despite what the Oncologists said. Five minutes out of his room. The doctor called by phone and said "nothing is wrong". Two minutes off the phone.

The patient noted the Neutrophils were over the normal range and the Leucocytes way, way under the normal range. In Oncology, the NLR [neurophil over leucoctye ratio] is highly significant. Oncologists have confirmed this matter. Dr Five Minutes did not seem realise this or was just too lazy to do the stats. involving a small equation between to figures.

I wonder how many patients experienced similar hardships from the super-commercialisation of medicine: Patients on a conveyer belt: door hidges that are over worked. In medicine are we graduating morons or just entrepreneurs?

Dear Oliver,

I had a similiar experience. I had rectal bleeding and went to my GP
who diagnosed me as simply being - "constipated," and told me not to worry about it. However when the bleeding increased - I went back -and again was told it was simply - a digestive problem.

It was on my third attempt that I finally managed to get a referral to a specialist for a colonoscopy. It was during the colonoscopy that they discovered a tumour...

The rest as they say is history...

I hesitated about sharing this "personal stuff" on this Forum and the only reason that I am doing it now is that it may help some one else not to delay - in getting the right help as soon as possible. Don't believe your GP. Go with your gut feeling
concerning your health. Doctors don't know everything. They can make mistakes - same as the rest of us. And not all doctors deserve their
title...

This is all the result of socialised medicine.Doctors who don't really care or just too busy churning out sausages.

18 mths ago I went to a medical centre with a persistent rash.The reponse from one of our imported Drs,"What is it?Don't come near me."With this statement she cringes in her chair.Is this the sort of unprofessional behaviour we can continue to expect in the future?

I have lost a lot of respect for the medical profession,but the blame must lie with us ,who expect free medicine on tap.The result is that the system gets abused by many.We all should pay something to see a Dr,then the standards will rise.As a result of this and the symbiotic relationships between big drug companies and DRs,people now seek out alternate health practioners and there are a lot of charlatans in that industry.
Study your own body,do some research yourself.Common sense is often both a solution to preventing health problems and solving minor illnesses,since most of the time ,we don't need to see DRs.

My medicines are not free nore are my trips to the doctor 12% of my monthly income is spent on both.
Doctors mind seems focused on other things and I doubt I am alone.
Truly a bit stoic I felt near death for a few weeks and went many times to the doctor who offered nothing .
After x rays found I had pneumonia for 3 weeks doc offered to change my medication! I had to inform him I was on none!
A older Doctor much older filled in a gentle nice bloke, took his time the waiting room filled but we all got better, health is it more important than money?
Gladly pay more so every one gets a few more minutes in that small often silent room.

get used to it, guys. this is the natural state of capitalism. people are atomised, into individual cash aphids. you are nothing but a money-source to service providers, labor-source to employers.

this is the end result of a 'commercial' society. in a 'political' society, people are members of a group where decisions are made through discussion and voting. the personal interaction makes you a human, not a walking atm machine, or keyboard actuator.

but you're satisfied with the structure of society, aren't you.

I know a number of doctors (GP's and specialists) and nurses and they've also pointed out the system under which they work is by no means adequate. Although a fictional show, House epitomises the sorts of situations many of these centres face ... after all, as Demos points out - it's a business. Look on the bright side though ... at least in the city their are services (much of rural Australia are struggling even to lure an incompetant doctor).

Something I'd love to see forced into the qualification process for GP's is forced work as nurses during their training. Appreciate what it is like to provide the patient care in hospitals and the like - change beds, shower the elderly, etc etc - before running off into a private practice and diagnosing based on a google search.

Might I add there are similar issues in the teaching profession - which may not be as acute in diagnosis but have as wide ramifications longer term.

Corri,

"after all, as Demos points out - it's a business. " - Corri

Yep, a business with what is own in Economics, a vertical demand curve". It's just visiting the WC: "If you have to go, you have to go". Unfortunately, increasing medical practitioners exploit this situation, and, even then do not render good service. I have no problem paying for a professional's time, but expect these guys to do their job, poory. Besides,GPs are generally no educated than an engineer and usually less educated than a PhD.

Demos, Corri et al are correct, it is comercial; high fees times high turnover. It is dangerously commercial, hasty doctor not taking the time to actually analyse a blood test is no better than a truckie speeding on defective tyres.

Corri,

Please let me try again:

-- Unfortunately, increasingLY medical practitioners exploit this situation, and, even then do not render good service. I have no problem paying for a professional's time, but expect these guys to do their job, PROPERLY. Besides,GPs are generally no educated than an engineer and usually less educated than a PhD.

Posted by Oliver, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 4:39:26 PM

All,

It pays to research from reliable sources and in part manage your illness: I returned to that HK doctor today. He said that NLR was ok.
His face went expressionless, when I handed him from university sources, a peer review journal article on the NLR measure. He then admitted he hadn't heard of the ratio and my it is not commonly used by onologists. My source? ... The Journal of Surgical Oncology.

I don't mean to be a broken record, but hello! over population! I lost my first child, because a 70 year old was having a heart attack!
Go figure. Its a long and sad story.

Dont forget the good news stories though. I have recently had my second child (he's 3 weeks old), and my local GP has been excellent, as has the local maternity ward. Circumstances forced me to have my baby elsewhere, at the regional base hopsital. I quickly requested a transfer back to the local hospital, where I was treated like a human being, and my concerns about my baby's health were listened to (ended up he has a fairly serious breathing problem), unlike the base hospital, which treated its patients like cattle, and refused to listen to my concerns about my child. Actually, he ended up jaundiced, and it took me a full day of pestering staff at the base hospital that he was getting jaundiced, and even then they were going to simply discharge us. I got my transfer instead and the local nursing staff took one look at the child and went into jaundice panic mode - I ended in hospital for a total of 9 days, where the base hospital were going to discharge me at 4 days. What does this go to show? The level of care and personal attention provided by local staff in smaller hospitals is of a far higher quality than large hospitals, where you simply become a number in the system. We dont need larger health systems in this country, we need smaller ones.

Yes we need like the "house doc's of old" who keeps on studying old knowledge which is not hampered by the pharm industry.

Don't people just twist things just to suit them self's. Country gal!
These stories are getting far and few between. Population is the primary sadness to most things. I need a small bone removed for my leg, but it will take six months befour it happens. Oh silly me! I forgot there are more important people than me.
And the problem grows.

By the way! My leg would take five minuets to fix!