Is It Independence If You're Not Allowed to Assert It?

At my appointment, CAG recommended that I walk 'right into' my endocrinologist's office and tell them what I needed to have done. That is, I just need a blood draw to check my TSH, I didn't want a whole consultation appointment with the endo. Unfortunately, my endo's office doesn't believe I know what I need.

I called the other day and the conversation went roughly like this:

"Dr. Blankety-Blank's office, how may I help you?"

"Hi, I just need to make an appointment for a blood-draw. I don't necessarily need to see the doctor, just a nurse visit is fine, or a blood-draw by itself."

"Hm, well normally we don't do that."

"That's really all I need."

"What's your name?"

"My name is Lily Tuliplips."

"Okay...it looks like you cancelled an appointment at the beginning of August. You're due for a consult with Dr. Blankey-Blank."

"Well, how about I get my blood drawn and then we can schedule an appointment with Blankety?"

"Let me just...go get your chart."

--Instrumental Music--

New Voice: "Hi, Miss Tuliplips?"

"Yes."

"I'm a nurse here. The receptionist tells me that you want your blood drawn, but you need to meet with either the doctor or the P.A. to consult about your bloodwork. You can have it drawn at the same time."

"I can just meet with the nurse, that's fine with me."

"Well, you're due for more than a nurse visit, it's been three months since your last appointment so you need to see Blankety-Blank. We can get you in this Thursday."

"I don't need to see someone this Thursday, I was hoping for an appointment in September."

"But you can get in this week. Or next week. You're due for an appointment!"

At this point I give up and schedule an appointment with whoever the hell they want me to, with the assurance that my blood will be drawn at the same time.

The problem is essentially that I don't want to talk to the guy right now becasue I am the type of person who will offer up too much information on any given topic (can you tell?).

So, Dr. Blankey-Blank will sit down and ask how I am and I will end up blurting something like: "I don't even need to be here. I'm seeing a great acupuncturist, herbalist, weirdo doctor and I'm really happy with the results. I'm using you for your lab tests. And you know what else, I WON'T be on your damn drugs for my whole life."

DH says I don't have to react like this. :)

In any case, in the end I will get my blood work done and that will be great. On the other hand, this reminds me of my friends who have wanted to have a VBAC (vaginal-birth-after-cesarean) and were basically told that no doctor, no hospital, and no one else was willing to take on the liability. It's either have your baby unattended at home or have another C-section. That's not really a choice at all.

I understand that doctors are protecting themselves and largely think the general populace are idiots, but I still think that when a patient makes specific, articulated requests, these requests should be respected. I would be willing to sign away their liability just for that freedom.