[tdrp]

Arrogance because the GP, neuro and cardio all made completely different diagnoses (conveniently from within their field of expertise) based on 15 minute visits and prescribed non-trivial medications. Putting a 24-year old on beta blockers, topamax, cipro and a couple more I had to stop on day 2, just to see if that fixes it, sends you down a spiral of side effects that make the original symptom far murkier.

Even if the algorithmic approach is accurate for 80% of cases, the suggestions it gives you for the 20% makes treatment extremely frustrating. If you are in those 20% then treatment by an experienced, more fluid doctor is night and day. Unfortunately, there seem to be fewer of those in the US than in other countries, probably because of litigation risk you mentioned before.

[phobosanomaly]

I think you have a really, valid point and part of that is also probably a consequence of the structure of the healthcare system itself:

"Although the United States is renowned for its leadership in biomedical research, its cutting-edge medical technology, and its hospitals and specialists, problems with ensuring Americans’ access to the system and providing quality care have been a long-standing concern of policy makers and the public (Berwick et al., 2008; Brook, 2011b; Fineberg, 2012). Higher mortality rates from diseases, and even from transportation-related injuries and homicides, may be traceable in part to failings in the health care system."

National Research Council (US); Institute of Medicine (US); Woolf SH, Aron L, editors. U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2013. 4, Public Health and Medical Care Systems. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK154484/

We're much better at moonshots, that just keeping most folks healthy.