"Orthopaedic specialist lack of care or interest"

Twice now I have been sent to you for advice re my lower left leg, both times I have come away feeling like an insignificant ant under your feet, taking up your valuable time.

I was aware I wouldn’t need an operation but my GP felt you may be able to give some insight into looking after my leg where it may not cause me too much pain or more permanent damage further down the track.

Any information I got from you was only provided when I asked questions but even in that I was made to feel that I shouldn’t question you at all. 

It may be a trivial complaint to you but to me my mobility as I get older is important. My ability to trust my body to do what expected is also important.

What I expected from you was: 

1. Respect, courtesy and a discussion with me as a person re my situation. 

2. An explanation of my CT and other scan results and what they meant.

3. Positive treatments to slow/reduce/ease my pain and swelling in your opinion. 

 What I believe I got was: 

1. Disinterest and arrogance towards myself. 

2. A pre judged opinion I was there because I wanted an operation. 

3. No explanation about the scans unless I asked.

4. A feeling of intimidation not to ask questions as it was a waste of your time. 

5. A feeling you couldn’t get me out of your office quick enough you had better things to do. 

6. Someone who slouched in their chair, showing very little interest or care. 

7. Someone who flicked through my scans with no explanation unless I asked. 

The information I did manage to come away with from our encounter was that I need to lose weight (I know), I have the start of Arthritis, and you don’t need an operation. In these I see no positive treatments moving forward.

To add insult to injury (no Pun Intended), I was required to pay a new patient fee both times, for a condition, which I consider to be the same one. You obviously saw them as new conditions even though I did mention to you last time about my ankle and that I thought it might be contributing to my problem.

 I may have wasted your time but I believe you wasted my time and $450 + dollars to basically find out nothing.

This is a letter I was going to send to the specialist Orthopaedic surgeon I was referred to at Knox private hospital.