""""""PS:  When mom called cardiologist's office to
ask that they contact Dr. Hale and the Lactation Study
Center for her, she was told that they were too busy to do
that sort of thing.  If she wanted that information she
would have to get it herself.  Gives one a warm,
fuzzy feeling doesn't it?  """"""

This is just the type of action that gives Drs. a bad reputation.
I would bet that this information never got past some nurse or clerk.
If I was the patient involved in this I would fire off a letter to the
cardiologist immediately and state something like this:

I was so offended by the actions of your staff, well I called to request
you to seek more specific information about my health concern.
 Dr. Cardiologist, if your staff can not be more helpful to me than
 this I will take my mitral valve prolapse elsewhere, and tell all
my friends to do the same. I respectfully request a verbal and
written apology from the cardiologist for his staff's behavior.
Remember a satisfied patient tells an average of three people,
a dissatisfied one tells an average of seven.  I am way above average."

Jon Ahrendsen MD FAAFP

Clarion, Iowa