Sometimes I think the medical system needs to check itself. Because if other industries treated people like patients get treated, there’d be outrage — refunds, reviews, even lawsuits. But in healthcare? It’s just… “the process.”

Here are a few things that somehow fly in the medical world — but wouldn’t last a day anywhere else:

No Clear Process

Every specialist has their own system. Do I call to book? Do you call me after triage? Should I wait a week or a month? It’s like trying to crack a secret code. A simple, unified process — with clear instructions — shouldn’t be revolutionary.

(Also, side note: kind, helpful admin staff in this space deserve medals — they’re rare gems.)

Ghosting Patients

Imagine a business that ignored customer emails and calls for three weeks. They’d be out of business. But in healthcare, I was told in emergency I’d hear back from the vascular department in 1-2 weeks and they’d operate quick-smart as this was a very dangerous compression. He also advised I could no longer do things normal people my age could do until I got it treated. I waited 3 weeks, no reply, no call, no managing my expectations of a new timeline, nothing. I called to follow up and they let me know they had triaged it to “non urgent” and it would be a “really, really long time” before I heard from them. Again, no date or timeline, absolutely wild.

Baseline courtesy: an auto-reply saying “We’ll respond within X days” or outlining triage timelines. Or instructions saying you need to call. That’s it. That’s the bar. So so low.

No Set Expectations

So many clinics fail at simple communication. A short message like “We’ll review your referral within 1–2 weeks and call you for booking” would save hours of stress (and endless follow-ups). Or instructions or an outline of the process (because each is SO different), that’s the bar. So, so low. Why is it so hard? We’re not asking for miracles — just transparency.

Being offended when you challenge

It blows my mind how some specialists act like you’ve insulted their degree just for asking a clarifying question. Ego so often gets in the way of a productive, two-way conversation. In every other industry — from wedding vendors to home builders — people ask questions before choosing who to work with. So why do some specialists think they’re so special? Answer the question, doc.

The Great Scan Access Debacle

Ask ten specialists how to access your scans and you’ll get ten different answers. Each radiology provider has their own login, password, portal, or CD (yes, still CDs in 2025). It’s chaos — even for doctors. And the wildest part? It’s your data. Yet you often have to fight to see it.

Gatekeeping Your Own Health Records

This one still blows my mind. Once, a report said “normal.” But when I actually viewed the scan, I could see my jugular vein being compressed — later confirmed by a specialist. If I hadn’t pushed for access, it would’ve been missed entirely. Patients shouldn’t have to beg for their own information.

The Bottom Line

If any other industry treated people like this, it would be called bad service. In medicine, it’s called “standard procedure.” Healthcare shouldn’t get a pass on basic communication, access, or accountability — especially when lives depend on it.