THINGS DOCTORS DO

THAT FRUSTRATES PATIENTS

How does your doctor annoy you? Let us count the ways.

By LAUREN COX - ABC News Medical Unit

June 24, 2009, 11:00 AM

Earlier this week, ABCnews.com looked at the top frustrations doctors experience with their patients.

Doctors Who Think Their Time is Valuable, Not Yours - Showing up on time but then having to wait for half an hour to be seen.

Doctors Who Do Not Listen to You - If there's one thing patients can't stand after waiting for hours with old magazines, it's doctors who don't seem to be listening once they finally get in.

Doctors Who Think You Are Crazy - A fair number of those who commented to ABCNews.com have the feeling that their doctor thinks the patient is "crazy" or inventing their symptoms.

Doctors Who Fail to Call with Test Results - Even if all else goes well at the doctor's office -- the wait time, the consultation, and an understanding physician -- many ABCNews.com readers pointed out that they are left waiting to hear back on important test results.

Doctors Who Never Consult Your Other Doctors - Sometimes a transition between doctors can be more painful than a single bad experience with a doctor. Often patients must pay for copies of their own medical history to be sent over, or, if they're going to a specialist, they show up to find the communication lacking.

"The most frustrating thing I've run into is when I'm sent to a specialist, with a letter from my primary physician. The letter has my background and what tests have been done; all well and good. But the expensive specialist just looks at the letter and says, 'I see you have XXX.' Not many questions were asked, etc. to come up with a different, possible explanation.

But guess what, when the tests were finally run, I did have something different…" one commenter wrote.

What really get's under my skin is, if I am late for an appointment the doctor is unable to see me later that day and if the doctor is late, I must wait.

This one really takes the cake, if I am late or miss an appointment, I am required to pay but if the doctor canceled out at the last minute, I am not compensated. They rescheduled me!

Who wrote these medical visit agreements - guess what, I never sign that statement and handwrite it, I do not agree with most of the unfair billing requests. Do have an option!