Scalpel’s Edge

How to find a quality family doctor

// February 19th, 2009 // No Comments » // Health

This article is part of a patient education series that I previously published elsewhere. Explanation is here. If you have already read this article, please accept my apologies.

With a quality GP you can “play” the healthcare system

A good primary care doctor, or general practitioner is the key to “playing” the health care system. They can be your passport to skipping queues, finding the best specialist, getting timely appointments, getting the best after hours care, and attention to the things you worry about.

I have written more about the need for a good GP previously. Now I would like to give explain one way to find the right doctor.

How to find your new family doctor

It is in our control to find a better doctor. There are very few people that are limited to only one family doctor in their town. Most of us have the luxury of 3 or 5 or 15. However, we get stuck going to a doctor we aren’t happy with. This is silly – patients are the consumers.

You wouldn’t go to a bad restaurant every week, so don’t continue going to a bad or even average doctor.

Recognizing that you are the consumer is vital – you are not limited to one provider, and you have no obligation to continue to use a service that you are not happy with.

I always knew these principles in theory, but it took having a family to realise their importance. I had been seeing a doctor for many years, one that I was “putting up with”. I had not been happy with the referrals she made and was not thrilled with her manner, but it was good enough. But when my daughter was born, I realised I needed someone better. My daughter was too precious to entrust to half-rate, “good enough” medical care. So I started looking around all the doctors in my area, and after a few visits, found someone I was really happy with, who continues to care for my family today.

I feel really happy with that decision – it is one of the most important things I ever did to care for my family.

Here is one process for finding a good doctor:

1. Look at your relationship with your current doctor

Are you happy? Do you feel you can trust them, and talk to them about embarrassing problems. Can you get an appointment when you need one? Do you have good conversations. Do you like them as a person, and respect their knowledge? Do they know you and your family and what is important to you? Would you trust them to make decisions about what medication to give you, or what treatment to offer, if they couldn’t discuss it with you?

If you answer YES to all of these questions, congratulations, you have the doctor that is right for you. If you answered NO to some questions, then it may be fixable. Trusting your doctor to make your decisions is the basic test of whether they are right for you. Normally good doctors consult with their patients, but as they can’t possibly explain all the variables, then they will have to abbreviate and select and recommend based on what they know of you. Maybe you need to have a conversation about your priorities, so that thy understand you better.

2. Figure out what you need from your doctor.

Is the gender of your doctor important to you? Do you have to be able to get an appointment at the last minute, or is after hours service more important? Is it more important to have a free service, or are you willing to pay out of pocket to go to the right doctor? Should the practice be close to home or work? Do you need a doctor who is right for all your family, or are you willing to go somewhere else to find someone that suits you personally?

3. Try someone new.

It doesn’t really matter who you try, but feel free to try as many doctors as you like. You have an opportunity every time you get sick. You can try recommendations from friends or family, or you can just work you way around the different practices. It is ok to try someone out. You are not obligated to continue seeing the same person. Remember, you are the consumer, and they are providing the service. You will probably have to fill in new forms at every place you go to, but that doesn’t oblige you to keep going.

4. When you find someone you like, tell them all your secrets

The best way to form a relationship with someone is to share your trust. Doctors need to know all the background to your health to help you make decisions in the future. Let them know about all the little things about your health, and your relationship will develop so that you can trust them when you need to.

5. If you get disatisfied again, repeat this process

Most importantly, never give up. Your needs change over time, as mine did when I had kids. If you retire, you will probably be less demanding about after hours appointments. If you develop a chronic illness, you may prefer a different style of practitioner.

In today’s “ehealth” environment, we are not stuck with the same doctor for life, so claim your right to upgrade. Find the right doctor, and start to take more control of your healthcare.

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Take responsibility for your history, and become healthier

// December 29th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // Health

This article is part of a patient education series that I previously published elsewhere. Explanation is here. If you have already read this article, please accept my apologies.

We are having a rest here in the Southern Hemisphere. Summer holidays are an excellent time to do some health spring cleaning. I encourage you to take stock of your medical conditions, drugs and risks. This will improve you ability to have a good relationship with your doctor, and better outcomes for yourself.

How should I take stock?

This is the easiest thing in the world, but it will involve a little time. Take a paper and pencil, your favourite word-processor or one of the more technological solutions suggested below, and make three lists.

1. List all your present and past medical conditions

This includes anything you were treated for as a kid (you can leave out colds and flu’s unless they caused a hospital admission), anything you have been in hospital for, or taken long term medication for. Take a highlighter and mark those conditions that you think are still important to your health. For example, if you had a hip replacement 6 years ago, it may not cause you problems now, but you know that it might break down at some point in the future, so you still need to be aware of it.

2. List all the medications you now take

Try to work out for each medication when you are meant to take it, how many you should take and how strong the tablets/injections are. If you can, write out what the medication is for, and what other names it has. Finally, try to make a guess of how regularly you actually take the medication correctly. Remember, you are the only one that is reading this.

3. List all the doctors and health professionals who look after you

Make sure you have their contact details and write down which conditions each of them thinks they help you look after. Write down the next appointments you have with any of them. For each write down when you should make a new appointment. For example; “Make an earlier appointment with Charlie the Physio if I have worse back pain.”

Let these lists bounce around in your head for a little while to make sure they are complete and you haven’t forgotten anything. Now take a good look at your lists.

There are probably some conditions that you are not sure about, and don’t understand. Maybe there are medications you don’t know what they are for, or are forgetting to take. For those medications that you are worst at taking, make sure you know what they are meant to be treating. Check your final list to make sure all the doctors and clinics you see are listed, and you are not due for a new appointment with any of them.

What to do with your Health Audit

Once you have a good handle of all your medical problems and your list of appointment details are up to date, then find somewhere to keep that information. You might choose an old-fashioned folder in your deskdrawer, or keep the information electonrically on your computer (consider putting a password on it, in case someone steals your computer).

Another solution would be to use an online health managemnet service like Google Health, HealthVault or Revolution Health. These collate all your health information together into one archive that you can access with your web browser.

Review your information regularly

The most important next step is to make a recurring calender appointment, every month, that reminds you to update your file. This will mean you can simply grab your folder, or printout if you need to head out to a new doctor, and trust that you have everything you need.

If you have a printable or paper version, tuck it in the corner of your purse and keep it with you. This improves the care that you get - both in preventative medicine and any emergencies that occur.

I have seen this system in use and it works wonderfully. It wasn’t initiated by me, but my obstetrician when I was pregnant with my children. At the end of each office consultation, she would print out a summary of all the tests results, philosophical discussions and medications that were relevant. When I arrived for my deliveries in a state of panic and disarray, I handed the most recent print out to her, and she knew everything she needed to. It would have been the same if we ended up in a strange hospital or if her computer battery failed. It was the perfect solution to reduce my stress, and make her job easier.

Try your health audit today. Make sure there are no chinks in your knowledge and you will reap the health rewards.