You’re In Charge

Something happened to me this past week that made me really look at the way that I treat my patients.  One small experience has given me a lot of insight into how I want to be treated by my doctor, which has provided me a little added perspective from a patient’s point-of-view.

I sent some lab results off to one of my personal doctors the other day.  After finding out what the results of the test were (I had to call the lab since my doctor wasn’t available), I didn’t receive a phone call to discuss the lab results.  This really disappointed me for a few reasons.  First, am I not important enough to warrant a phone call to discuss the results of the test?  Secondly, what was I supposed to do now that the problem had been identified? Finally, when I did get a letter from my doctor she told me that my dosage was off without acquiring any additional information on this instance (without the information it is IMPOSSIBLE to tell if this is an isolated incidence or if it is because the dosage really is incorrect).

I learned a lot from this experience.  First of all, a simple phone call goes a long way with patients.  It really wouldn’t have taken her, or even her office staff, more than a couple minutes to explain the situation.

Secondly, people need direction when they are having problems of any kind.  Patients come to doctors because they don’t have the training to make their own judgment on what the next step should be.  We need to do a better job of providing that guidance, as it is not only a comfort, but also a necessary step in the proper treatment of any patient.

Next, doctors need to get a little bit of information on the current situation the patient is in.  Every experience is different.  If doctors group together all of the information and make a plan, it will be much more accurate than if they take the information that they have acquire over the time that you have been a patient and don’t add any new information.  Your health changes every minute of every day.  These changes may not be noticeable and they may not even be important to the next step of your health care plan.  If the doctor doesn’t ask for this up-to-date information though, there is no way that they can make a decision on its relevance.

Finally, the most important thing that I learned from this experience is the thing that y’all can take home.  Patients need to take a more active role in their health care situations.  We can’t sit back and just wait for things to happen.  We have to ask questions, provide a little more detail on the problems we are experiencing and make sure that the doctors are providing the guidance we need.  You are the most important part of any health care plan.  You are the one that are experiencing the problems.  You know your body the best.  You know what directions aren’t being given clearly.

Take control of your health care.  If your doctor isn’t giving you the answers or guidance you need, press them to be better about it.  If they can’t/won’t give you that information it is time to look for a new doctor.  Challenge doctors to be at the top of their game and your health with benefit.