The doctor is late. You're half undressed. And no one knows your name. Welcome to healthcare in the 21st century.
Do you sit for 40 minutes in the waiting room, only to be whisked into an examining room by the nurse who tells you to disrobe without an introduction or greeting? When you finally do see the doctor, she spends perhaps 10 minutes with you, without establishing any rapport.
In today's "managed care" environment, physicians are pressured to see as many as five or six patients in an hour, leaving little time for you to ask questions and openly discuss your symptoms and concerns. How do you find a doctor with the best credentials, a good bedside manner and a warm personality? There are many ways to find a physician, but only a few methods will produce the right chemistry.
Your local hospital or community medical center most likely has a physician referral service. Use it. When you call the service, have your questions about the doctor ready. A sample question list may look like this:
Word of mouth is usually a good referral source, as well. But remember that your friend's expectations of a physician may not match yours. Meet the doctor yourself, before making any final decisions.
Perhaps the best way to determine if a physician is a good match for you is to book an appointment or consultation to meet him, before addressing your specific health problem(s). Most offices will accommodate your request for an interview and will usually charge you for a brief office visit, depending on how long the meeting takes. Ask about the office fee policy prior to the interview.
During your interview, be aware of your instincts and first reaction when meeting the physician.
Dr. Christiane Northrup, author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom (see Resources section), stresses the importance of knowing your medical history: "It is helpful for each woman to get her medical, social, and family history straight," she says. "Our patients fill out an extensive questionnaire that covers their medical history, their family history, and a 'daily living profile' in which they check off the effects of their living situation, job, relationships, and other factors on their health." Understanding your family history can make an enormous difference when describing your health problems to a physician.
Your medical records are a written medical "history" that should be continuously updated and maintained by both you and your doctor. If you're switching to a new doctor, get two copies of your records—one set for the new doctor and one set for your own records. Read them thoroughly. Familiarize yourself with the contents and terminology. If the records are not legible, ask the nurses in the physician's practice to interpret them. Invest in a small medical dictionary to help you understand basic medical terminology and abbreviations.
Make sure that you get a complete copy of your records, including the doctor's progress notes. If you have any radiology procedures performed (such as x-rays, mammograms, etc.), it's crucial to get a copy of these reports as well.
Most medical offices have special procedures for releasing medical records. You will probably have to sign a permission form before they release the records to you. You must pick the records up in person, and sometimes there is a small charge for copying and compiling them.
Come to your office visit with a list of your symptoms, the medications you take, any drug allergies and a general idea of when your symptoms began. If the doctor seems rushed or preoccupied, call her on it. I usually say, "You seem busy, and I need more of your time." Make the physician aware of how his actions make you feel.
Insist on speaking to the doctor before you disrobe so that you can meet "face-to-face" in a neutral environment. If your doctor won't honor this request, it's probably a good idea to look elsewhere for a physician. Don't ignore your gut instincts.
Dr. Warren Slack explores the value of using the Internet for healthcare information in his book, Cybermedicine: How Computing Empowers Doctors and Patients for Better Healthcare (see Resources section). While the Internet is not an infallible source of medical information, information culled from the 'Net does provide a basis for patient and doctor to initiate a dialogue.
Take the time to find a doctor that will meet your healthcare needs. Remember to ask questions about any diagnosis, treatment or medical procedure. If you knew all the answers, you wouldn't need the doctor!
RESOURCES:
American Cancer Society: Talking with your doctor
http://www.cancer.org/patinform/talking.html
Healthcare Choices
http://www.healthcarechoices.org
National Women's Health Information Center
http://www.4women.gov
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Family Physician
http://www.cfpc.ca/cfp/
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
http://www.cihi.ca/
References
Information for patients and purchasers of health services. Healthcare Choices website. Available at: http://www.healthcarechoices.org .
Northrup C. Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom . Bantam Books; 1998.
Slack WV. Cybermedicine: How Computing Empowers Doctors and Patients for Better Healthcare . Jossey-Bass Publishers; 1997.
Talking with your doctor. American Cancer Society website. Available at: http://www.cancer.org/patinform/talking.html .
Last reviewed November 2009 by Brian Randall, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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