When to fire your doctor
 

Great article from arthritis.about.com

Top 10 Reasons To Fire Your Doctor

Doctors have strengths and weaknesses. How does your doctor's "bedside manner" match up with your personality?

Are you confident in your doctor's ability?
Do you feel that you understand the directives and decisions made by your doctor?
Are you encouraged to ask questions?
Is the overall experience at your doctor's office positive?
The relationship between a doctor and patient is very important. If you're answering no to most of the questions it may be time for a change.

1) Lack Of Confidence In Doctor's Ability

A patient must trust their doctor. Patients are more likely to be compliant with their treatment plan if they have confidence in their doctor's ability. A patient consults with a doctor for their expertise as a diagnostician and ability to problem-solve. A patient should not routinely leave the doctor's office feeling uneasy about decisions and recommendations which are made by the doctor. If you find yourself doing that, it may be time to fire your doctor.

2) Lack Of Continuity Between Visits

The nature of chronic illness implies you will be seeing a doctor many times to help you manage your condition. With copious notes in your medical chart, your doctor should be able to recall your prior visit and gauge your progress. Doctors are busy and they see many patients, so it's not always perfect. If you constantly have to repeat yourself and if you feel that your doctor isn't following along, it may be time to fire your doctor.

3) Questions Are Not Welcome

Patients go to doctors in search of answers. Patients want answers to:

what's wrong with me?
how are we going to treat the condition?
what can I expect?
what are my options?
Some doctors allow a reasonable amount of time for patient questions. Other doctors are unapproachable and discourage questions. If it's difficult to have a dialogue with your doctor about your health care, it may be time to fire your doctor.


4) Doctor Is Not Forthcoming

Does your doctor share all pertinent diagnostic test results with you? Does your doctor share why a specific test is being ordered or why a specific treatment plan has been chosen over another? For example:

Your doctor may give you an order for an MRI.
Your doctor may tell you why you need to have an MRI and explain what he is trying to rule out, and then give you the order for the MRI.
If you feel uninformed more often than not, it may be time to fire your doctor.


5) Doctor Is Cold And Unsympathetic

It's important that you understand your doctor, but it is equally important that you be understood by your doctor. Does your doctor understand how your medical condition impacts various aspects of your life? Is your doctor sympathetic about your problem or is your doctor's demeanor cold and abrupt? You must feel that your doctor truly cares about your well-being, otherwise it may be time to fire your doctor.

6) Excessively Long Wait To Get An Appointment

You may encounter a long waiting period when you try to set up a doctor appointment. Doctors have very busy schedules, especially specialists and surgeons. As the joke goes - I wouldn't want to go to a doctor who will see you the next day. A busy doctor is often a popular doctor with a great reputation. However, by waiting too long for an appointment, you may be compromising your health. If the wait seems unreasonable, find another doctor.

7) Doctor Is Always Rushed

Do you have your doctor's full attention during your appointments, or do you sense that your doctor's mind is cluttered by other matters unrelated to you? Do you feel that you're being hurried? Has your doctor ever backed out of the room before you were able to ask all of your questions? If you are left feeling that not enough time is devoted to you during your appointments, it may be time to fire your doctor.

8) Inconvenient Location

It can be stressful and inconvenient to have to drive a long distance to see your doctor, especially if you have mobility problems. Some patients who live in rural areas have fewer options, but convenience is a factor to be considered. Where will the doctor send you for blood tests, x-rays, and other tests? What are your doctor's hospital affiliations? Be sure your situation is either convenient or agreeable to you, otherwise you may want to find another doctor.

9) Cost / Coverage

If your insurance does not cover your doctor's fees, it is unlikely you would want to stay with that doctor. Know the details of your individual health plan and be certain that your doctor is available to you on the provider list. If not, you may want to find another doctor so your medical costs will be covered by your insurance.

10) Doctor Is Not Respectful

Is your doctor harsh when speaking to you? Does your doctor consider your fears and apprehension when making decisions, or are your feelings disregarded? Does your doctor respect that your time is as important as their own, or does your doctor leave you languishing in the waiting room for unreasonably long periods of time? Do you feel respected as a person by your doctor? If not, it may be time to fire your doctor.

Thank you for the information...valuable to have and know.

KD

8/10 wrong....seems like I need a new primary :rolleyes:

Help!!!!
 

It looks like my neuro is absolutely gone! And, my pain doc is pretty close behind! Looks like I'd better get busy if I want good care.

Anyway - thanks for sharing - good stuff. . .

Nancy

Gosh when I posted this way back, I wasn't expecting the response. How sad is it when people who have chronic illnesses can't get even good care nevermind the best care!
Makes me so sad. I am very lucky eventhough I live in a rural area that I have a great doc staff. The only docs that are 30 minutes or more out of my way are my pain doc who I see every 2 weeks and my FM doc who I only see once a year or so.
So please if you feel like any of the 10 issues about doctors applies to you think about reevaluate your doc or talk to your doc about those issues.

This is a very good article to have posted here. Many people feel guilty or like they have to keep the doctor they've been seeing, even when that doctor no longer offers them the proper care.

I "fired" my oncologist in November. He had overseen my chemotherapy, surgery and radiation treatments. When it came to my aftercare or follow-up, however, he dropped the ball. It was like once the cancer was in remission, I ceased to exist.

My mother-in-law talked to the oncologist who had treated her husband, and I was lucky in that he agreed to take on my care, even though his practice is overflowing.

I had end stage 3 breast cancer with metastases to the lymph nodes. For me, there is no such thing as a cure. There is remission. I know this and I have accepted it. My former oncologist did not. He felt I was cured and needed no aftercare. My current oncologist does labwork on me once a month, and scans every three months. In his words, "you had a very late stage and aggressive cancer. It had gotten in your lymphatic system which means it can go anywhere. We need to constantly monitor you so that we catch it as soon as possible when it comes back."

Always remember - you pay your doctor to take care of you. If you aren't being treated properly, by all means...fire them and find someone who will work with you. It could very well be the difference between life and death, or at least quality of life.