To: bovik@CS.CMU.EDU
Reply-to: Tim Freeman <tsf@CS.CMU.EDU>
Subject: Letters to doctor, dentists, audiologists
Date: Sun, 26 May 91 11:33:53 EDT
Message-ID: <28786.675272033@U.ERGO.CS.CMU.EDU>
From: Timothy.Freeman@U.ERGO.CS.CMU.EDU


In October, 1989, with help from some people on sci.med, I wrote a
form letter to nine dentists, general practicioners, and hearing
specialists recommended by you asking them if they are willing to
participate in rational (according to my criteria) conversations with
their patients.  Specifically, I asked these questions:

   If I pay copying and handling costs, would you be willing to supply 
   copies of my records and lab reports on request?
   
   If I agree to pay for your time, would you be willing to explain the
   details of your diagnosis and treatment recommendations?
   
   For a fee, would you be willing to direct me to further reading materials
   that may help me understand my problems more clearly?

The letter I sent is available in the directory
/afs/cs/user/tsf/docnote.  Here is a summary of the responses:

General practicioners:
Susan Hunt		No reply received.
Donna Knupp		Yes on all three questions, with the caveat
			"If I know where materials are" on the third
			(which seems very reasonable to me).
Phillip Levine		Received a very polite letter saying that I'm
			asking for something reasoable, but his
			busyness and "declining physical reserves"
			pevent him from taking on more patients.

Hearing specialists:
Joseph Jahorchak 	"No" answers to all questions, accompanied by
			the note "You sound like trouble."
Ralph Caparosa		"Yes" answer to first question (copies of
			records), with the added note "No charge".
			"Yes" answer to the second question (verbal
			explanations), with the caveat "If you are my
			patient".
			Neither box checked on third question (direct
			me to further reading materials) but added the
			note "This depends on the diagnosis."
Sidney Busis		No reply received.

Dentists:
Edward Horan 		No reply received.
Marvin Dash		Yes answers to all questions, no caveats.
			He's really an oral surgeon instead of a dentist.
Julia Dentice		No reply received.

Right now I don't have a pointer to a dentist (as opposed to an oral
surgeon) who has given the right answers to my questionnaire, so I'm
sending out another batch of letters.  I'll summarize those to you
when I get responses.

I used to use the Pitt dental school for my teeth cleaning, but last
time I went there they required me to sign something giving them
permission to take X-Rays before they would clean my teeth, and they
double-billed me for the cleaning.  I'm not going back there.

Tim