Richard Feldman, M.D., director of medical education and family medicine residency at St. Francis Hospitals and Health Centers and former Indiana health commissioner, contributed to Sick of Doctors: A Prescription for Patient Empowerment. He is one of several guest bloggers we will have join us here.
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The day of the unchallenged omnipotent physician is long gone. Patients should step up and be responsible consumers of health care.
You are your own biggest health care advocate. Part of being a good consumer advocate for your health is making sure you have a primary care physician that is a partner in your health care. Be cognizant of the care you get and be a part of making sure your care is the best it can be by evaluating your physician’s professionalism and customer service.
Patient satisfaction often comes from a sense of being heard and understood. That’s something I try to give all my patients. For your primary care physician, you want a doctor who is courteous and sensitive and who possesses good listening skills. After each visit, you should contemplate the friendliness and helpfulness of a physician’s office staff and think about their appointment and office experience, what you liked best and least about this physician and if you would go to this physician again. You want a physician who understands your medical concerns, communicates well and treats you as a partner in making medical decisions.
It’s harder for patients to adequately or fairly judge professional competence including medical expertise, clinical, diagnostic and surgical skills, and medical judgment. Judging medical proficiency is not as simple as evaluating how well your toilet is fixed. Best medical practice sometimes necessitates that patients not receive what they expect or desire, including antibiotics or narcotics. But, if you question the medical competency of your physician or a diagnosis, always seek a second opinion.
When going to a specialist like a surgeon, bedside manner may not be the best way to judge whether or not you want to receive care from this person. A physician’s professionalism is always important, but what you need most from this type of physicians is someone skilled in their specialty. In this instance, think about letting your primary care physician advocate for you, guide and coordinate your care, and refer you to the best quality specialists and consultants.
Tags: consumer healthcare, consumer-driven healthcare, shop for a doc