"Gastro-liver clinic"

Based on my experience, this clinic seems to work by:

1. Arriving at a not very testable diagnosis before assessing the patient (probable IBS - other diagnoses would fit just as well, and a previous gastro specialist had noted that my symptoms don't strongly fit IBS).

2. Although IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion, avoiding doing much testing before landing on it. (I feel the doctor did however trick me into believing they'd order a CT in the lead-up to my last appointment, and stated this plan in their report to my GP, but it did not happen. My GP also sent a request re this CT, which I believe has not been acknowledged. I've left multiple messages for the Gastro & Liver clinic that RPH Radiology never received their scan request for me, but no response.) 

3. Claim I obviously had IBS because my listed meds proved my GPs were treating me for it. I explicitly explained to them what said meds were actually prescribed for in my case, but it seemed their report omitted all of that and persisted with the claim. 

4. Referring me to dietetics, which I agreed to believing the CT would also occur, and having been told it was to find foods I may not have realised I was intolerant to. Dietetics then told me it was narrowly to trial FODMAP, which I find includes one of the foods I told the doctor I was intolerant to. They also said it was an IBS treatment. I had previously already trialled other aspects of this diet and so was already in a position to give feedback on them, which I believe the doctor would have known if they'd been upfront rather than attempting to seemingly trick me into the FODMAP trial. 

5. Avoiding mentioning any details regarding whether my symptoms were worsening or improving, presumably in order to make a general diagnosis of 'IBS' seem more reasonable.

6. Avoid my telehealth of this week ... since the doctor had a large amount of explaining to do by that point, I am not surprised. I received my phone call, only for them to hang up after 1 second (the phone had not rung 8 times). While that may have been accidental, I rang the clinic a few minutes later to explain what had happened my end and say I wanted to go ahead with the appointment. They gave no indication it would not happen. Despite waiting all afternoon, ringing back a few times more, I did not get a call and I found they recorded it as 'patient did not pick up'. 

In all my opinion, all this probably provides a great way of 'thinning out the herd' so that patients who are willing to bet on TCM or other modalities leave the public outpatient system and lessen case loads and waiting lists. For those of us who can't afford TCM, I feel we are left in this messed-around state.