People generally have no more than 10 or 15 minutes with their doctor, a brief period during which he or she needs to make an assessment and deliver a...

I asked around for doctor recommendations. My hairdresser has an internist she likes, but his office is three towns away. I asked my neighbor who was working in her garden. "The era of personal care in medicine is past," she said, flinging compost too close to my feet. "All the good doctors are leaving medicine. Good luck finding someone you like." I stepped on some of her petunias.

Dear Savvy Senior: Can you write a column educating patients on how to prepare for doctors appointments? I manage a number of small health clinics, and have found that patients -- especially seniors -- that come prepared when they visit our doctors are much more satisfied with the care they receive.