I remember when I was a kid, doctors were so interactive and really took time to get to know you and talk to you, learn about what you're going through and explain things. Now as an adult, it's been nearly impossible to find a doctor who is willing to take any amount of time to sit down, explain things, show any sort of compassion or empathy at all.
I suffer from acid reflux, and in order to diagnose that, they basically put a tube down your throat, it's called an endoscopy. You have to be fully sedated with anesthesia and take nearly an entire day off of work because the way the anesthesia affects you, you can't drive and someone has to drive you. Well for many years now we've had this other procedure which is a tube, but they put it through your nose instead. There's been lots of research papers about the use of it, it's used in other countries as a procedure regularly. So I asked several gastroenterologists if they offer the procedure and every single one of them said no, and would not provide any additional information or insight as to why you have to be completely sedated and pay thousands upon thousands of dollars for expensive anesthesia. I am simply blown away. It makes no sense. A research tested method that has been written about for about a decade now in actual research studies by board certified medical physicians, and no one offers it. Literally no one, and they won't even consider it.
I've also been through at least several primary care physicians because the ones I have seen are so short and don't really take time to get to know you at all. They just pop in, ask you a handful of questions and leave, if your test results come back with anything abnormal, they say it's nothing to worry about, they don't want to take any extra time to help look into anything or diagnose you.. like wtf?
It just seems like doctors these days are out to get you to spend as much money as possible and do the absolute bare minimum for you in return. And now we have direct primary care options where you can circumvent insurance entirely, pay your doctor thousands upon thousands of dollars a year for the same level of care that we had in the '90s. But now you have to pay out of pocket for that in addition to your insurance. Wtfffff
Australia checking in ... I feel similarly about the attitude of doctors and the type of care I receive. I don't have any amazing advice that you're not already following, but I'll regale you with my thoughts regardless...
About 18 months ago I developed a chronic health condition that I will need to manage for the rest of my life (hopefully several decades). In that time I've seen a myriad of medical professionals.
My first tip would simply be that if you're not satisfied with a doctor or specialist, your only recourse it to arrange to see another instead. Sometimes the advice / treatment prescribed will vary significantly, sometimes they just have a less punchable face.
As regards GPs, I've come to categorise them thusly: those that just prescribe meds without any conversation, those that try to manipulate you into wanting the meds they want to prescribe, and those that will have a conversation with you about what meds you ought to take. Obviously this last category is the one you want.
Finally, I've gotten a lot of mileage out of simply staying on top of all the data about me. I have all my test results available on my phone, as well as medications, dates of treatments, contact details for specialists, et cetera. Also just understanding the available treatments.