FINER NOTES ON FINDING A DOCTOR

Simple persistence is always the best approach. I mean, you go out there and keep phoning and visiting offices until you find a doctor who will take your case. I realize that sometimes it can be hard to find a doctor for those of us who have illnesses like manic depression or DID. The sad fact is, that many doctors are split on varied issues of health care and illnesses. Those in other fields such as Social Services are even less educated in the more complex medical ailments. There is the fact most doctors will insist on rediagnosing you for their own records. If you have manic depression (such as I), then do not let a new doctor convince you otherwise - and have you rediagnosed as say, a schizophrenic. Okay, an extreme example, but I think you get my drift. Keep to your guns and never budge - within common sense of course. Simple common sense and persistence is the key.

Again, keep notes on times, places, and the results of any professional visits, recommendations, prescriptions, etc. This is most important, especially if you cannot find a doctor within a reasonable amount of time. If you have not found a professional who will take you within about 25 or more inquiries, then it is time to move on.

You can try The Alberta College of Physician's and Surgeons (or The Royal College of Physician's and Surgeons of Canada) where they can always address your particular problem where doctors are concerned. Most of the time they can give you a list of doctors who are available. Sometimes, you have all ready visited most on the list, and others will still not take you on.

This is the point where you have to go seek other help. Your ML A and your Minister of Health office is the perfect place. Email them a letter explaining the full circumstances you are in and what steps you have taken to attain help. If you cannot email them, mail them a letter or drop it off at their offices. As Canadians we have a right to health care (see the Statutes of Canada and Health Care Act).

So you see, your meticulous records are coming in handy now because you can answer any questions that governing bodies may ask about your case and steps you have taken to remedy it yourself. Most offices will become concerned once they see that your obvious efforts are not working within the system. If time becomes important to you, then state as such and the reasons why. There are always prerogatives to handle emergency cases fast and efficiently. If anything, you will come to know the resources and information available to you that you otherwise would have never known about.

We can all sometimes get lost within a system that has become overworked and under funded. We can be overlooked and files shoved to the back. It is up to us to say, no, I will not be forgotten. That is a part of why this page is here. I was once told, with a sad shake of the head and the barest trace of a grin, that fighting the professional is a lost cause - no matter what regulations and laws we have on our side. I was insulted by this brash approach to, not only myself as a patient/client/consumer, but I was also enraged by this attirude towards people as a whole. Being told in so many words that professionals will always win and that I should just accept that as a fact was not a cruel blow to me, nor did it detract me from my point of view. It strengthened the conviction within me that was telling me, I had been right all along - professionals think they are untouchable, and thereby can get away with anything they choose. This page is here to tell them that they do have resistence, and while they may hate to be "talked down to", they will eventually have to get used to it as consumers get smarter - not by choice, but by necessity. Survival.

CONSUMERS COMPLAIN NOW

For those who would like to write a complaint about a specific issue and/or professional body and feel that no other help is forthcoming please write this website with the phrase "consumer complaint" in the subject line of an email - which in turn can be sent here. I will note the complaint and post a follow-up so that others can be informed about this issue and perhaps also come forward. Once enough people come forward, the letters can then be sent to the respective officials as a collective body. All letters will be stored off-line for security so that no one other than this website will have access to them. All those concerned will be kept advised of that particular issue.

It seems these days that one has to unite as a group if anything is to be done about one particular professional or professional group. One person may be ignored, but several people are hard to ignore, and even harder to defend against. No, I am not a professional advocate, but then neither are we, as separate individuals it seems. I am merely one person who has an idea that may help another and thereby, others. I believe it is time for the "common" person to start taking an active role in choosing who governs our health and how they are doing it. We have an even more important role as "watchdogs" to disallow self-serving bureaucrats and professionals from mowing us over.

I would like to be able to tell corporations and select professionals that, the party is over.