M.D. USED to stand for "Medical Doctor."

Am I getting old or just unwilling to accept the new standards of mediocrity running rampant in our medical system?

This is true, folks. Most hospitals and medical practices are now run by MBAs. These are the young, well-dressed manager-types who spent years in school and virtually no time in the real world. They graduate with diplomas and a head-full of textbook rules and plunge right in to managing the hospital or practice who hires them. Hey - an MBA means that this person knows everything about everything!

IMPORTANT: DOCTORS DO NOT RUN THEIR PRACTICES ANY LONGER!!!!!! They are employees with the same status as the receptionist at the front desk. They have quotas to make - a minimum number of procedures to be performed in a given period, a certain number of patients to see.

Case in point. I recently went to a dermatology practice - very efficiently run. The medical assistant ushered me into an exam room and proceeded to ask the usual screening medical questions and enter everything into a computer - no more charts. The doctor came in, read what was on the computer, asked me a couple more questions, gave me a quick "look-over," and started typing (doctors are now medical transcriptionists). He gave me a diagnosis, some samples of cream, and I was outta there. Total time in the room: 6 minutes, time with doctor 2 minutes. Diagnosis: NOT THE RIGHT ONE! But I bet he made his quota!

Return visit: Same scenario. However, I was to have 2 lesions biopsied because they were not the same in appearance. He looked at my diseased arm and pronounced that only one lesion would be biopsied. I pointed out to him that they were different in appearance. He still insisted on 1. Okay - no alcohol prep, injection with lidocaine, no time to numb up, and he does a 10-second punch biopsy, quick stitch, a bandaid. Total time for procedure: 90 seconds! "I'll call you when the results come in, and just come back in a week so we can remove the stich." Another quota met!

Follow-up visit: A more experienced doctor whom I know told me to call to find out whether I would be charged for the stitch removal because it should come under surgical care. HA! This dermatologist documented on his computer that I was to come in for an office visit to "Discuss" the biopsy and further treatment - hence, another charge. I reminded the receptionist what was really said at the time of the visit and told her to cancel the appointment, send me the report, and that I was making other plans. Quota not met!

I called my GP and relayed this saga. He is no longer sending patients to this young cutie. I removed my own stitch. And when I get the biopsy report, my GP and I are going to find a doctor who still understands "M.D." or "D.O." to assume my care.

Message? Stop settling for being railroaded back and forth to the office so that the doctor can bill for more services and office visits and meet his quota. Insist on all of the care you need at one time. If you're not happy, COMPLAIN! Call your own primary doctor and report the problem. Call your insurance company.

And then get a blog and post so that enough of us will get the hint and start to get what we pay for.