Being the Better Patient: How to Get the Best Care from your Physician

Anytime you need to meet with a physician, whether it's your family doctor or a specialist, you need to SPEAK UP! You go to the doctor because something is wrong; hence, once you have the doctor's undivided attention, you need to tell them specifically what is wrong, in all the morbid detail. You need to include information such as length of trouble, what you think may have caused it, what makes it worse, what makes it better, and so on. Answer their questions with complete honesty, even if it's about an intimate or embarrassing detail. They can't assess and treat your problems properly, if you are unwilling to be completely honest.

Once you've explained the problem, then it's time to listen up! While they do their job for money, they also do their job to help people. If the doctor tells you to STAY OFF your bad leg, then STAY OFF your bad leg! If your physician tells you to stop eating garbage because the garbage is making you sick, then you only hurt yourself and complicate your health issues by ignoring their directions. This doesn't mean that you must go blindly in to the good night. Ask questions. Inquire about alternative treatments and medications. With time, you'll  learn your doctor's personality and style of treatment, and can better communicate; however, you can't expect them to to be psychic. You must voice your concerns out loud.

When you leave the office, do what the doctor has advised you to do to alleviate the issue. Get the prescriptions. TAKE the prescriptions, AS DIRECTED, and go for further treatments or consultations as recommended. When you get home, it's time to educate yourself. You pay your doctor to treat injuries and illnesses, and they will give you a rundown of the diagnosis. However, you owe it to yourself to research and learn more on your own time. Visit websites like WebMD.com to view reports, full descriptions of illnesses and more. Get Googley.  Look up your diagnosis, treatment, and learn more about what you can do to help yourself get better. Remember, that what you find outside of trusted medical websites should be taken with a grain of salt, and used only for information purposes. If you find alternative treatment options that you want to explore, consult with your doctor first!

If you struggle with attention, forgetfulness or hearing issues, bring a notebook and even a mini-tape recorder to record questions and answers. Your doctor will not fault you for taking notes, if it means you will remember and follow his or her advice!

In conclusion, be 100% honest with the doctor. When you omit details about lifestyle, symptoms, etc., this only leads to mistakes and misdiagnosis. Get a second opinion from different physicians on major surgeries or diagnoses. When you find it hard to communicate with your doctor, perhaps you may want to find a different doctor whom you are more comfortable with. Ignore the advice and suggested treatments at your own risk. Your physician treats you based upon what you have said, test results, and his or her diagnosis, to disregard the advice can lead to bigger issues down the road.

For more information about doctor/patient relationships, visit this site:

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/pat-advocacy.html