Diagnosing our Doctors

Television has ruined us.  Oh, I don’t mean it has affected our brain, our weight, or our response to violence.  That’s all terrible, but there is a worse effect.  We expect every law enforcement officer to be The Mentalist, every music teacher to be Will Schuester from Glee, and every doctor to be House.  Television has warped our ideas about what it means to be human.  It has made us less grateful for the rare brilliance that does exist around us, and impatient when our cops, teachers and doctors turn out to be fallible.

These are my reflections after a recent “well” visit to my own doctor.  She’s a rather humorless but bright woman who probably sees about 30 patients each day at a busy practice.  In the now common fashion practiced by doctors everywhere she presented my test numbers and then asked me what I wanted to do.  Huh? Didn’t I just drop off a co-pay to ask you that? 

“So,” I responded,  “Really?” (OK, not my most articulate moment.) Don’t get me wrong. I am grateful for being empowered.  Most women report that they are not taken seriously at the doctor’s office.  Studies show that doctors respond very differently to men and women who visit them with the same symptoms. Men receive more talk and care, while women are dismissed as “imagining” symptoms.*  One of the reasons I chose a women as my doctor is because I thought that a fellow woman would give me more respect.   But this was too much respect.  I needed her to at least take a good guess before involving me.  I have no medical training. How would I know if I had a rare disorder that manifested in cravings for chocolate and Big Love reruns?

Help. Me.
Photo: Color-coded.net

Assuming that your current doctor has the potential to get it right, here’s how a little planning can help you and I get the most out of our next visit:

After noon all the good magazines will likely be taken.
Photo: NYTimes.com

Make a morning appointment if possible.  Your doctor will be less rushed, less fatigued and your wait might be shorter before patients stack up.

Be organized.  Doctor’s are too busy to listen to your rambling complaints because they have lots of other complaints to not listen to before the end of their day.

Don’t be brushed off after some chit chat about your doctor’s most recent vacation.  Ask actual medically relevant questions, like:

What do those test numbers mean?

What should my goals be?

How can I best achieve those goals?

What resources does this practice have to help me?

When should I come back?

Take your time.  If your doctor suggests expensive tests, an excess of medications or a diagnosis that doesn’t make sense to you take the time to do some research before you acquiesce.

This might be a good time for a second opinion.
Photo: Sodahead.com

If you don’t get good answers you might want to let the doctor know of your dissatisfaction, in a way that will improve your communication in the future.  I suggest something along the line of “How can we communicate better next time?” over the always popular “Did you really even go to medical school?”

If you do need to look for another doctor, don’t make the same mistakes.  Think about factors like location, hours, testing facilities, hospital affiliations, staff attitude, how doctor’s absences are covered and how the doctor works with specialists.  Pony up for an interview appointment if your insurance won’t cover it (do I hear you laughing?) to ask about approaches towards holistic medicine, alternative treatments and whether they warm their speculums.  (Men can skip that last one.)

Is he checking your records or is he really watching House for ideas?
Photo: Fotosa.com

Remember that your doctor is human.  They may try to conceal this fact under layers of jargon and shiny surfaces, but if you look closely you will see dead people.  It is your doctor’s willingness to work with you over time that is important.  Of course, you can always forgo the check-up and watch a House marathon instead.  He slways seems to get it right.

The only magic in medicine.

* Resources regarding doctor attitudes towards women can be found at Classical & Contemporary Sociological Practices by Scott Appelrouth & Laura Destor Edles, Harvard Guide to Women’s Health, and the Encyclopedia of Gender and Society