My recent appointment with Dr. Joanne Cobler at Buffalo Medical Group was one of the most…read moreunprofessional and dismissive medical interactions I have experienced, and it ultimately ended with ME terminating the doctor-patient relationship and leaving the appointment.
To provide context, I waited several months for this appointment in order to discuss the progression of my mitral valve prolapse and what appears to be an increase in its severity based on recent diagnostic testing. For a patient, especially someone who is not a physician and is trying to understand a potentially serious heart condition, that wait comes with a great deal of anxiety and concern. Sitting down with a cardiologist is supposed to provide clarity, reassurance, and thoughtful guidance. Instead, the interaction I experienced was dismissive, confrontational, and devoid of the basic bedside manner one would reasonably expect from a specialist dealing with potentially life-threatening cardiac issues.
Because my wife was unable to attend the appointment in person, I had her on speakerphone so she could listen while Dr. Cobler reviewed my diagnostic results. She wanted to hear the interpretation directly and ask questions if necessary. This is a very common and reasonable practice when dealing with health issues and would have been no different than if she had simply been sitting in the exam room with me.
Before Dr. Cobler even entered the room, her assistant came in and told me that I needed to either turn my phone down or hang up because Dr. Cobler was in the next room and claimed she could not read the notes from my diagnostic report due to my conversation. This request was both surprising and unnecessary. My wife and I were simply speaking quietly while waiting for the doctor to arrive, something that would be entirely normal if a spouse were sitting in the room.
When Dr. Cobler finally entered the room, I immediately explained that my wife was on the phone so she could hear the discussion about my diagnostic results and ask questions if needed. Rather than acknowledging this reasonable request, Dr. Cobler dismissed the statement entirely and proceeded as if it had never been said. She did not acknowledge my wife's presence on the call, did not offer to include her in the conversation, and did not demonstrate any willingness to engage collaboratively in discussing my condition.
Instead, the tone of the appointment quickly became confrontational and dismissive. Dr. Cobler began questioning me about previous diagnostic test results and appeared irritated that I could not immediately recall specific numbers and details from prior reports. Rather than simply referencing the information already in my medical record or explaining it, she repeatedly spoke in a condescending and critical tone.
When I attempted to ask questions about my condition and the interpretation of my recent diagnostic report, those questions were repeatedly interrupted or dismissed. At one point she stated that she could not continue speaking with me because of "background noise" coming from my phone, despite the fact that there was none. Again, this situation was functionally no different than if my wife had been sitting in the room and participating in the conversation.
Equally concerning was the recommendation she made regarding exercise. Dr. Cobler proceeded to lecture me about needing to follow an extremely aggressive workout regimen that sounded more appropriate for elite endurance athletes in their twenties or thirties than for a 52-year-old patient seeking guidance about a cardiac condition. The recommendation was delivered as criticism rather than as thoughtful medical guidance, and no meaningful explanation was provided about how such a regimen related to my specific condition or medical history.
By this point the interaction had become increasingly uncomfortable and unproductive. Rather than a professional medical consultation focused on helping a concerned patient understand a heart condition, the appointment had turned into a one-sided lecture delivered in a dismissive and hostile tone.
Eventually I had simply had enough. I interrupted the conversation and said directly, "You are done. We are done here." I stood up and made it clear that I was ending the appointment.
At that point Dr. Cobler attempted to persuade me to stay. By that point, however, my decision had already been made. The interaction had deteriorated to the point where any productive dialogue about my condition was no longer possible.
I declined her request, reiterated that we were done, and left the office.
For patients dealing with cardiac conditions, especially something as concerning as the progression of mitral valve prolapse, the emotional component cannot be ignored. When you are not a physician and are trying to understand a condition that may affect your long-term health or even your life expectancy, communication from your cardiologist is essential. Patients need explanatio
