I have been seeing Chinese doctors for 30 years. I trust them to the point I manage severe chronic pain with herbal treatments. This is since Western prescription meds gave me an ulcer.
I have visited practitioners at the back of the humblest shops, and both professors and grad students at the Colleges of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
This clinic was not anything like I've experienced in Vancouver or Victoria. I emailed ahead with questions, including the cost of a consult for herbal remedies. She replied with only a "yes" to the issue I have. So of course I assumed consultation was free---as is traditional with all Chinese doctors. The herbs are expensive, but the consult is free. I checked in with her again when I arrived, and she confirmed this.
AFTER I filled out lengthy forms and AFTER she grilled me on my work, she tried to charge me for the herbal consult. During the consult, she spent more time trying to find out how much I earn, than discussing my health.
AFTER I told her in my email and in person that acupuncture isn't an option because I'm terrified of needles, she tried to argue about it. Tried to tell me how I should feel.
When I asked how much the herbs would be, she grilled me some more on what I've paid in the past.
AFTER I emailed her with the name of my medication, wrote down in person what I was already taking, and discussed this medication with her twice---and she said it is just a stopgap and not a genuine healing, balancing herb---SHE THEN PULLED OUT THE SAME PILLS, and said, "Have you tried these?"
After all the interrogation re: my work situation, I guess she decided I must earn a lot of money, because she tried to charge me 4X what I paid in Vancouver.
It was like she wasn't even present except to her own need to make a buck.
I have great respect for Chinese doctors. They have a system of medicine far older and many times, more effective than Western. This is the first time I've walked out on one.