When is it time to let your physician go?
Your relationship with your doctor is one of the most intimate you will ever have, so shouldn’t you feel good about it? Read on for the signs that it’s time to find a new physician.
It takes forever to get an appointment. If you have to wait so long to be seen that your illness goes away on its own, your doctor is probably too busy for her own good. Consider moving to another practice.
He’s not listening to you. You get 20 seconds into explaining why you’re there, and he interrupts you. He asks a follow-up question, but he’s not even looking at you when you give your response. You wouldn’t take that from a boyfriend; why take it from someone who holds your health in his hands?
Her staff sucks. From bad attitudes to excessive phone hold times to referrals that mysteriously never get faxed, an incompetent staff can bring down the entire practice. If your complaints don’t bring on change, it may be time to move on.
She doesn’t take your concerns seriously. You’re worried about your unborn child, but she keeps pooh-poohing your anxiety without doing a single test or even giving you concrete info to allay your fears.
Your phone always dies while you wait. Yes, things happen, but if you’re consistently waiting 45 minutes to be seen—just long enough for your phone to die while you waste time on IG, naturally—your doc is overbooking, and who has time for that?
She’s not good at explaining things. Whether she talks down to you or gives meandering explanations of things that she labels as “technical,” she’s not good at giving you all the info you need tomake informed decisions about your health.
He’s annoyed when you ask questions. It’s his duty to answer all your questions completely, honestly and cheerfully. If that is not happening, find someone who will.
You don’t feel comfortable. Even if everything seems to be fine on the surface, if you don’t feel like your physician is a good fit for any reason, break up. You are the best advocate for your health care, and you owe it to yourself to find someone who can give you the support you deserve.
From BET
