I found you site because you posted on creakyjoints. After reading your article I first wonder where you are from Cinda? Your health care must be Very different from mine. I have several points in the article that I totally disagree with.
1) My Family Medicine doctor has never "rip out the presscription pad" and not asked about my other medications and not find out if the new medication he wants me to go on is complatable with the meds I take now. In fact because of my "GP" I have been taken off medications.
2) The office I go to has never treated me with the "7 minute turnstile" so that leads in into number 3,
3) Less than 4 days ago (monday to be exact) I spent 47 minutes with my Family Practice Doctor discussing my meds. We talked about family and he asked about a daughter that just got married last week and how I handled the pain being on my feet all day. He asked me about my oldest daughter who is pregant. He asked about my husbands lastest trip for work. We even talked about his kids and wife.
So I am not sure where your doctor "GP" is but maybe you need to find a new one if that is the way you are treated in the office. If you want to get your information out I for one wish that you do not lump all doctors and offices like you have discribed that this is the normal.
We all have much to handle with our diseases that wrong information can not help anyone in any way.

Dear Kelly, Thank you so much for finding the Health Matters Show and responding. We all have had different experiences with doctors. Neither are all good nor bad. It sounds as if you have a caring doctor who purposely takes the time to listen to you and that is fantastic. Unfortunately, that's not the case for everyone.

My General Practice doctor is a wonderful exception, too. Part of the reason that he is able to take the time with me is because he is an independent physician and does not work for a big conglomerate. Most people see physicians who average staying in the examining room for a maximum of 7 1/2 minutes. I heard a health care physician speak last week who reported that that statistic is now down to an average of 3 1/2 minutes is some areas!

I wish that none of us received such abrupt treatment. We need quality care that only can occur with sufficient doctor/patient interaction. And, many docs do write multiple RXs in a short amount of time given the time constraints. My point was made only to demonstrate this type of medical treatment and how it can lead to trouble when someone has a complicated illness. We all really need our doctors.

This problem is common within the US medical system because of what the insurance companies force doctors to do. (Note: the average office visit time is usually longer for specialists.) If you or anyone reads this and you live outside the US, feel free to contribute to this important conversation. Reply here and tell us how your experience or your medical care system is different- worse or better.

The 2nd problem that you mentioned about being on too many medications unfortunately is common everywhere. I'm not alone in crying foul. Countless websites to patients to doctors, all the way to the Federal Drug Agency are talking about this problem. I'll put up a post today with some of the websites I found quickly on just one Google search.

I've known people to suffer with new symptoms because of the addition of a new drug, or the doctor attempts to counteract that symptom by prescribing another drug (hence multiplying the drugs and potential side effects.) Even worse, some people experience life-threatening drug interactions. (I know a young man who almost died because a doctor did not look at what she had already given him and prescribed another potent drug in the same class!)

I pray that all doctors have the time and take the time to avoid such circumstances. Thank you again, Kelly, for responding.

Have a great day, Cinda Crawford