How to Know If You Have a Good Doctor
If you spend time (and a co-payment from your wallet) to visit a doctor, you need to be sure that he will do a good job when it comes to managing your health. So consider these questions to see if you have a good doctor or if you should consider looking for someone new.
Can you trust them enough to tell the truth?
Each visit to the doctor begins with you explaining why you are here, or with the provider and his staff asking questions about your health recently. You need to be able to trust your doctor enough to give honest answers, even if that means revealing details about your personal life or admitting that you didn’t follow their previous advice.
Do they take you seriously?
This has to do with how much you trust your document, but consider this issue separately. Do you feel like your doctor really listens to what you have to say and takes your concerns seriously? Do you have the opportunity to talk about what is important to you? And do they make sure you understand what’s going on? You should not leave the office without knowing why they ordered the tests or prescribed the treatment they did.
Your doctor should be able to talk to you about your treatment and your concerns, and it should be an honest conversation from both sides. (This applies to both of you.) For example, if you’re reading about a drug you’d like to try or a test you think you need, you don’t want a doctor who snubs the idea without listening to the reasons for it. do you want this. But you also don’t want a doctor who keeps stamping without discussing the risks and costs.
Are they following the current evidence?
Standards of care change over time, so you shouldn’t stay with a doctor who gives outdated advice or doesn’t know about new treatments. However, even the best physicians have much to disagree about the best course of action.
It can help you find guidelines or position papers from professional medical societies and see how they relate to your treatment. For example, the American Heart Association has guidelines on how physicians should monitor blood tests and prescribe treatments to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease. If you feel that your care is different from what the experts recommend, it’s worth discussing it at your next appointment. Perhaps your situation is different, and for good reason; or maybe you leave the office feeling like you need a second opinion.
Can they do what you need?
The kindest, most up-to-date doctor isn’t great if they don’t take your insurance, can’t get you into the hospitals you have access to, or are just not as good at the specialized care you want. provide them. Be sure to check your doctor’s affiliation and insurance status, and consider asking if your doctor is certified in their specialty . A doctor doesn’t have to be certified to be good at what he does, but it’s a good sign.
Another thing that is harder to understand is whether they are doing their job well. For example, if you need surgery, do they have good results when they do this surgery? You can find information on sites like DocInfo.org , but it’s also very helpful to get advice from people you know and other healthcare professionals. The whole idea of trusting your doctor snowballs here: if you trust your PCP, you are likely to believe that he is referring you to a good specialist.