Holding doctors accountable

[kygal]

I'm looking for some help, advice or anything you might have to
offer me regarding doctors in Canada. I'm sure some of you have seen my posts about my husband having pseudomonas and it not being addressed by our family doctor. He had it in his system, not being treated, for over a month (or longer) before we saw the specialist and she told us he had it. She saw it from his hospital records we had sent to her for reference. This either means that the family doctor didn't read the hospital charts or didn't think it was important. The family doctor who didn't address this also shrugged off our displeasure that she had let my husband get so down and out with his COPD and her lack of referral to a specialist. She seemed to think it was ok and not her fault because she claimed she didn't get the message (from her office staff) that the specialist we asked to see wasn't taking referrals at the time. (Her office staff was told if my husband needed to see someone, there were 12 other respirologists in the clinic and an urgen care clinic.) I'm sure I'm dancing around the issue and if there's something you don't understand, please feel free to ask. But, I'm just wondering if there's anything we can do to hold her accountable. From all I've read, the College of Physicians doesn't ever seem to reprimand any doctors and believes the doctor is usually (or always) right.

Has anyone had any experience with this or know someone who does? I'm at my wits end with watching my husband slide continuously downhill and nothing being done for so long. Since he started his downhill slide, he's lost 40 lbs., most of his muscle mass, has no energy or stamina and gets winded at the slightest little thing.

Thanks in advance,

Mary

[kygal]

Sorry everyone, I could have sworn I posted this note to this section of the forum and it didn't get posted, so posted it again. Sorry for the double posting but in different sections. I'm really not that senile...

Mary