[autumnspring]

What we expect, what we get and perhaps why.

You need a doctor. Who do you ask? Your golfing buddy? The AMA?

If, you call the AMA they will tell you A LIST of doctors who have passed their test. THEY WILL NOT TELL YOU HOW MANY MISTAKES THEY HAVE MADE ON PEOPLE WITH EXACTLY THE SAME MEDICAL ISSUE YOU NEED TREATED.
Those records are sealed.

Batting average? Some doctors will take only the best EASIEST, most likely to recover patients so that they can claim the best results.

The facts are that 80% of all medical care is paid for by either the government or insurance. You/we have no reason to look for a less costly option. Many of us are on medicare. Medicare is price fixed. They tell the doctor what he/she/it can charge. Price fixing leads to and assures mediocraty. Medicare expects your doctor to see a patient every 15 minutes. Imagine that endless grind.

RE: OP a broken toe
A doctor should BASED ON EXPERIENCE, simply looking at it know if anything more than taping it WILL HELP. X-Rays are they needed or simply done to prevent future EXPENSIVE lawsuits.

Findling a doctor you like AND TRUST. That is the hard part. My doctor had a small friendly practice. He has expanded the number of patients he sees. PROBABLY DUE TO ECONOMICS. Now you deal with his nurse practitioner.
She can and does spend far more time with you. The doctor, does a fly by the door. I ASSUME. I HOPE-IF SHE SAW ANY ISSUE SHE WOULD CALL THE DOCTORS ATTENTION TO IT.

Here in the villages we have a problem called SNOWBIRDS.
The population is up ?????? at least 20%. We might WANT but there is no way it can be justified, to have sufficient medical staff for the peak times. What are they to do when population returns to,"normal."