The joys of 21st century medicine

One of the most frustrating things in modern life is coping with the nuts and bolts of medical practice. The average practice around these parts consists of 35 revolving doctors, a nurse practitioner, and 50 ancillary persons, none of whom can talk to you just then but want you to leave a voice mail message. Just getting an appointment leaves you disgruntled. You don't get regruntled when the day of your long anticipated appointment comes. I read somewhere that the word ancillary derives from the Latin word Ancilla, meaning handmaiden. This is either true or too good to check. On an average office visit, you deal with at least 3 of these handmaidens before the head honcho performs his brief walk-in part, and 3 more before you leave. The doctor couldn't pick out your face in a line-up. Cursory is the word that applies. Clearly they have other patients who are much, much sicker than you and are no doubt busily bleeding to death in another room.