Doctor Launches Crowdsourced List to Connect Patients with Empathetic Physicians

A new, free online directory called Clinicians Who Care aims to connect patients with doctors known for actively listening to their concerns, founded by a physician who experienced medical dismissal firsthand.

Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, a family medicine doctor, created the platform after facing her own diagnostic delays due to being initially dismissed by medical professionals. She first encountered this issue as a medical student when experiencing symptoms of lupus and a clotting disorder. “All of a sudden I noticed that my joints were swollen. And then I was like, ‘God, I feel really tired,’” she recalled. It took seven doctors to finally receive a diagnosis, a delay that could have derailed her medical career. Later, after giving birth to her second daughter, she was dismissed twice by nurses when reporting a problem, ultimately requiring a five-unit blood transfusion after internal bleeding was discovered by her doctor.

Driven by these experiences and a recognition that this is a widespread problem, Dr. Curry-Winchell launched Clinicians Who Care as a crowdsourced list where patients can recommend physicians who demonstrate genuine empathy and attentiveness. “I thought to myself, if we can search online for restaurants, why can’t we create a list for patients?” she explained. The platform has already garnered significant attention, with one user reporting, “It took 42 years for a doctor to believe me.” This initiative comes as studies show that medical bias and dismissal can significantly worsen health outcomes for marginalized groups, particularly women. You can learn more about health equity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Curry-Winchell also revealed that dismissive language towards patients is ingrained in some medical training, recalling learning about terms like “WW” – or “Whiny Woman” – and “TW” – or “Trainwreck” – used to demean patients with complex medical histories. “Those labels are dismissive. It’s another barrier in getting the care that you deserve to have,” she stated. She hopes Clinicians Who Care will empower patients to find supportive care and ultimately improve the patient-physician relationship; you can find the directory here.

Dr. Curry-Winchell stated that she intends to continue expanding Clinicians Who Care, aiming to make it a widely accessible resource for patients seeking doctors who will truly listen to their concerns.