Uh, No

So my doctor's office finally called back to recommend that I have the scheduled MRI because my doctor is one of the best-known hand specialists in SoCal and knows what he is doing. If he feels my symptomology warrants a cervical spine MRI and a nerve induction test, then that's what should be scheduled.

Uh, no, the doctor who wants these specific tests is a KNEE specialist, and I don't feel confident that he/his PA know what they are doing re: the problem with my left HAND. Hence, my query re: an MRI on my HAND, in addition to the cervical spine and the nerve conduction test recommended by the KNEE specialist.

Well, your appointment referral from the doctor was to see a HAND specialist. Why did you not schedule your appointment with that doctor?

I went through the entire sequence again, assuring her that when I walked into the ortho center, it was to see the HAND specialist to whom I had been referred and with whom I made the appointment. It was the ortho clinic that changed my appointment, not I. This info led to the need for her to disconnect, talk to the doctor again, and call me back, which she did. The doctor specifically referred me to the hand specialist and wants me to return to the nationally known orthopedic center and see the doctor to whom I was referred. He will assure that will happen.

Great theory; however, didn't have success the first time, so I reaffirmed my decision to see another hand specialist, one who is not affiliated with the same ortho center. That caused another disconnect for another conversation, and a promised call-back that never came.

Here's the deal: I am a person, not a problem. As such, I know that this set of symptoms involves my left hand, and perhaps the nerves, etc., are part of it. Therefore, I want the actual site of the problem to be included in the diagnostic process, which doesn't seem like such a far-out request. If the ortho center cannot accommodate that request, then I'm not going to give them my business.

There is a list of other doctors who specialize in the hand/wrist in the yellow pages, so I'm going to call and make an appointment with one of them if my primary physician cannot recommend someone who does not work at the nationally known ortho center. This is my HAND, so it is my decision. I will take care of it today.

As a side note, the plumber was here during the back and forth phone calls and became engaged in the process. He looked at my HAND and said it seemed pretty obvious from the presentation that someone needs to look at my HAND to determine what the problem is. He added an analogy: it's as if a customer calls him and says a toilet doesn't seem to be working correctly and he tells them they need to call for a rotor rooter service -- without coming to the home and checking out the function of the toilet! There are so many things that can cause a toilet not to work, and usually none of the fixes require a rotor rooting.

Good point.