The difference is that people actually respect doctors and usually do what doctors tell them to--baring lack of money, time, or willpower, or some other quack like Andrew Wakefield telling them not to. Technology professionals by contrast aren't respected, and our advice (like "keep your software up to date") is often simply ignored regardless of how much we repeat it.
>Now, let's move on to the fact that the patient is saying "fix me" while the doctor is operating on "First, do no harm."
They're operating on "first, make as much money as we can." If they weren't, then medical bills wouldn't be the #1 cause of bankruptcy in the US.
>Now, add in people actively trying to scam you to get prescription medication.
Many countries (particularly in Latin America) don't allow doctors to act as gatekeepers to medicines and allow you to legally purchase almost any drug, with or without a prescription. To require otherwise is simply rent-seeking under the guise of protecting people from themselves.
>Just remember, doctors are running with the probabilities.
and running with scissors in the dark, apparently: http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/12/17/statistical-literacy-am...
Now, let's move on to the fact that the patient is saying "fix me" while the doctor is operating on "First, do no harm."
Now, translate that to some individual who is actively having a health problem that may be dangerous. But who doesn't want to hear things like "stop smoking", "stop drinking" and "get exercise" and wants a pill.
Now, add in people actively trying to scam you to get prescription medication.
Now, some people simply want to be told completely what to do because they don't have the capacity to make the decisions for themselves (cancer diagnoses in particular bring this out).
Finally, doctors are human and are sometimes having a bad day.
etc.
Dealing with people sucks and is an art rather than a science.
My experience with doctors has been this: if the doctor won't explain his reasoning or it isn't logical, I'm getting another doctor. This cleans out the idiots and the assholes.
The flips side is that if the doctor IS explaining something to you: shut the fuck up and listen. The quickest way to leap up the communication scale is to be so informed about what's happening that you can ask intelligent questions about the situation after an explanation.
Just remember, doctors are running with the probabilities.
A well-informed, logical patient is almost as improbable as an Ebola diagnosis.