Finding The Right Doctor
This is a post written by a friend of RMA about her experiences with Endometriosis and what she did to deal with the chronic pain caused by it. She hopes that sharing her story will help answer questions that others with similar issues may have.
I have dealt with some really bad doctors but I have also had some really good doctors over the years while on my quest to determine why I was sick. During my quest, I discovered that I had endometriosis and had a long road ahead including multiple treatments from many different doctors. So what makes a good doctor?
1) Does the doctor listen? — If the doctor listens to you and attentive to your needs, they are more likely to treat your condition with care. Even though a doctor should be the expert in their field, many of them may make snap judgments about your condition despite your explanation of symptoms and issues. Carefully and descriptively share your side of the story and make sure your doctor pays very close attention.
2) Does the doctor always seem in a rush? —This is another important factor to consider when choosing a doctor. If the doctor has too many patients on his schedule and doesn’t have the time to treat you properly then it might be years before you receive a proper diagnosis. Also if the doctor is not available and easy to reach this can be an issue if you really need a question answered.
3) Does the doctor have a passion for what they do? If the doctor doesn’t love what they do, this is another sign of a problem. Most doctors who have a passion for what they do seem to be excellent problem solvers who will not give up on your condition until it is properly diagnosed. Passionate doctors listen and care for their patients during their care.
4) Does the doctor have common sense? Doctors usually have a wealth of medical knowledge, but sometimes a patient just needs a common sense solution. Unfortunately, a lot of doctors rely solely on their education in a certain field but will not take into account the fact that many medical issues have similar symptoms. There is no specific category for medical issues as they can vary greatly from patient to patient.
5) Does the doctor keep up to date with the newest medical advances? Since the medical world is constantly changing, it is very important for doctors to attend conferences to familiarize themselves with new techniques available to treat patients. Some may even choose to go back to school to study a new field. If a doctor doesn’t keep an open mind about medical advances, this can be detrimental to the health and well being of the patient.
6) Is the doctor honest, trustworthy and well respected? If the doctor doesn’t have any of these characteristics, then the patient’s health could be affected. If the doctor isn’t well respected by his colleagues as well as other patients, this is a big warning sign to run and never look back.
Finding a doctor that is right for you may be difficult and time consuming but it is extremely important to ensure you receive quality care from a respected medical professional. Don’t settle for a doctor you cannot fully trust. Choose the right doctor the first time to avoid wasting time and money on a misdiagnosis.
Rose Thomas writes on behalf of RMA Texas. She is a proud survivor of endometriosis and she hopes that her experiences with endometriosis will inspire other women with endometriosis to not give up hope.
