Want a great patient experience? Go to a teaching hospital.

Lucy_B · Post by **Lucy_B** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:12 pm

Friends,

I just wanted to share a pro-tip with everyone that I've recently discovered. If you're like me and you've experienced a myriad of different health issues that normal doctors can't seem to figure out (and don't give two s**ts about, quite frankly), please do yourself a favor and visit a teaching hospital. I have found that the physicians in these establishments spend way more time with patients and truly care about putting all the pieces together. They are interested because they're researchers who have a vested interest in understanding disease processes. They're also teachers (in most cases) with a passion for helping others learn. I saw a new GI doc recently at my local teaching hospital who spent a full hour talking with me about my medical history, going over natural treatment options, discussing the role of diet in disease progression, talking about how different diseases/symptoms are connected, etc. It was amazing! Never in my life have I had that kind of doctor-patient interaction. And this guy is like the head of the gastroenterology division of the hospital, so he knows his stuff. What's more- he responds to emails! Within 24 hours! Don't know why I didn't think to do this sooner. :)

dfpowell · Post by **dfpowell** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:25 pm

Wow, you hit a gem! Thanks for sharing.

Blueberry · Post by **Blueberry** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 4:51 am

That's funny, I've been talking with others about a new teaching school being created. My brother in law was hired to help in its creation for the UofI.

What teaching hospital did you go to?

DebE13 · Post by **DebE13** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 6:20 pm

I had a similiar experience this summer. It was a doctor visit related to my thyroid but I drove about 2 1/2 hours to UW Health in Madison Wisconsin and spent an hour talking with the doctor. My only regret is that she isn't closer so I could see her regularly. She focused not only on my thyroid issues but connected my MC and food sensitivites into the whole picture. It was a very exciting conversation that gave me good insight as to what steps to take next. I agree, they are interested in solving the puzzle and are open to current information.

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 6:43 pm

I am glad you had a good experience

Mine was not the same - 12 months or so prior to the MC diagnosis when I was having weird keratitis in my eye that did not respond to treatment, gut issues, fatigue issues, pain. the 'team' of doctors headed by one of the top immunologists of that capital city, stated that the only explanation they could provide for my ongoing issues was that i must have had contact with Bat Urine in a cave in Papua New Guinea (which I hadnt) wrote a script for doxycycline and sent me on my way...

I think the foundation of a good practitioner or a bad one (doctor / functional doctor / naturopath etc etc) is if they look at the symptoms wholistically... not in silo's

Lucy_B · Post by **Lucy_B** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:57 pm

Totally agree, Gabes. Unfortunately, it is extremely rare to find doctors in this country who think that way. Sorry your experience was not so good. :(