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Do Doctors Like Informed Patients Like Us Better?
So the folks on this forum are more educated and informed than most. My question is whether that's a good thing from the doctor's perspective: on the one hand, we are more of a pain in the neck in having our own ideas about treatment; on the other hand, we participate in our own treatment so if something goes wrong, we're less likely to feel blindsided and want to sue. What do you all think?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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My sleep doc is willing to listen to my questions, concerns, and my visits are usually around 30 minutes. I've gotten the treatment modified due to my urging, and it has ultimately worked out the same way that the doctor would have prescribed.
My PCP will take as much time for me as I need, including questions and discussions, and will also correspond by email and by phone.
In a few cases, one of my doctors has suggested a treatment or drug that I wasn't convinced I wanted. In each case I asked for some more information, time to think about it, and a short appointment within a week to discuss my decision. I ultimately went along with the recommendations, but only after doing my own research.
Overall, I see four different doctors, none of seems to mind my approach, and I feel I get better care by participating more.
In the past I just let the doctor do all of the thinking, never asked many questions, but wasn't very happy with how things worked.
I have also talked with my docs about the kind of care I prefer. For instance, I've said, "I like to have more time to discuss and ask questions. So that neither of us feels rushed, what's the best day or time for us to meet for the next appointment?" By telling the docs what I need, and how I'd like to interact, I've developed a good relationship with them.
Along the way, though, I've had to drop various doctors because they were unwilling to work with me in this way...
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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Well said, Toni.
And, Andy, good points and good to hear they have worked so well for you.
Mutual respect goes a long way. I was just reading yesterday how obese patients tend to get lesser care than those who aren't obese. And that women just 20 lbs overweight tend to get lesser care. Some of this is due to the fat interfering w/and clouding test results, but much of it is also due to the attitude of the doctor and medical profession towards those who are obese.
If you smoke all your problems are due to smoking, no need to look any further. If you are obese all your problems are due to obesity, no need to look any further. The bias and predjudice is there and it can prevent a patient getting adequate much less good care.
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