Editor:
Finding a family doctor is difficult these days for people. I thought I was set at a time when some of my friends are struggling to secure one.
Things are better in cities than in rural areas where many doctors don’t want to move to.
The situation is pretty grim, but as I said, I thought I was set with my doctor. But this doctor has, in effect, “fired” me as their patient.
It happened last year as I have been dealing with a complex series of medical conditions that range from chronic pain to trouble digesting food to insomnia to obesity to diabetes. I wish my life wasn’t so miserable. I’m middle-aged and didn’t think my health would degrade like this so early in my life.
I don’t like having so many health issues but I didn’t think I would get so much grief from my doctor and their staff.
During the height of COVID-19, the doctor’s staff would resist my efforts to see the doctor in person. They wanted to do telehealth calls and I felt my issues demanded some physical examinations. Not for all of them, but some of them at least. That led to me writing complaints about why I couldn’t see my doctor in person more often, plus arguments with the staff over the issue.
As time went on, I was trying to make appointments more than once a week to deal with all of my issues but I started to get told there were no times available. The staff would say I would have to wait weeks. Then it became months. I said that was unacceptable and the staff started telling me I should seek a doctor who had “more time” for me.
It wasn’t a very subtle hint. I was being fired. One staff member said I “get sick too much” and needed a doctor who was “more available.”
And now I’m stuck because I’ve struggled to find another doctor willing to take me on. I don’t know if they have access to my records and think I’m not worth taking on because of all of my issues.
Am I being blackballed?
H. Nickerson, Burnaby
