I've trusted some of them, fired others. I trust my current doctor who is not a rheumy, she's an internist who has RA and who has expertise in treating autoimmune disorders, and we have a wonderful working relationship. I think the key issue is can we work with our doctors, do they listen to us, make us part of the treatment plan, respect our opinions, give weight to our concerns, and do they take the time to be able to do all this. But a lot of that is up to us as consumers, after all we are the consumers of medical care, if we're not happy with a doctor we are free to go to someone else. Not all docs are created equal, I have had some very caring and qualified ones - - and I've also had stinkers, such as the one who filled in for my doctor (who was out of town) and treated me - - and I use that term loosely - - for a ruptured disc by telling me (after an ER visit and two shots of Demerol which did nothing to control the pain) to go home and take Tylenol for the pain.
That's like putting a major fire out with a cup of water. Needless to say that ended our doctor-patient relationship.
Cheryl
