It’s hard getting good health insurance, and when you do, it can be harder finding a good doctor.
You may be lucky enough to get a recommendation from a trusted friend or family member. But usually you’re stuck having to choose someone from a list.
Then you make your appointment, patiently wait to be seen, and when the moment comes to start talking to your doctor, you only get 15 minutes!
Most doctors’ offices offer extended appointments (we do!), but they are usually reserved for specific patient circumstances.
So how do you really get your money’s worth within 15 minutes?
1. Choose your doctor carefully
Familiarize yourself with the scope of his or her practice.
What does this mean? Find out about their specialty.
This is important because not all Primary Care Physicians — the doctors you go to for the majority of your health care needs and questions — have the same training.
Physicians who are board certified in Internal Medicine can offer care to all people over the age of 18 but do not attend to Gynecologic problems.
Physicians who are board certified in Family Medicine are trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages, and can also see women for routine obstetrical and gynecologic problems (note: in urban and suburban areas, many family physicians do not follow women during pregnancy or perform deliveries, due to the widespread availability of OB/Gyn’s). The ability to attend to emotional, behavioral or psychiatric problems depends on the individual physician’s comfort level and residency training.
You can find out online or by phone, what your doctor’s specialty is, and if they have any subspecialty training (like Sports Medicine or Geriatrics) and if there are any specific problems they do not attend to in their office (for example, drug addiction or psychiatric illness).
This will help you to adjust your expectations of what you doctor can do for you that day or in the long run.
2. Make Notes
It doesn’t matter if you are 21 or 71, we all forget something as soon as we walk in the door. There’s something about being in a doctor’s office that makes most of us feel a little nervous- it’s even happened to me!
So write it down and then prioritize.
Decide which issues are pressing, and which ones can wait for a later appointment.
Always ask the doctor to explain things in terms you can understand, so you can write it all down and then go home to educate yourself — and maybe discuss with family, friends or another physician.
3. Remember: You Are Responsible For Your Health!
You have to be honest and straightforward.
When you lie or omit facts about your history or current symptoms, you limit your doctor’s ability to properly diagnose you — and therefore jeopardize your health. You might also be wasting your own time and money, because tests or studies might be ordered unnecessarily based on your incorrect information (or conversely, crucial tests not ordered at all).
Please understand we are trained to be objective observers, and to not let our personal judgment, biases or opinions interfere with giving you the best care. We all have our faults, but our job carries a great burden and we know you are very vulnerable when you walk through that door.
So please tell us the whole story, pretty or not! That includes family history, past surgeries, hospital stays, sexual health history, alcohol, smoking or drug use, and emotional problems or psychiatric illness.
4. Enlist Yourself As Part Of Your Health Care Team
What I mean by this is: take charge of your life and your health!
Ask your doctor for treatment options and referrals to information sources. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion. We won’t take it personally, really!
If you know you will need more than 15 minutes, make sure to get your appointment time adjusted for that.
Ultimately it is your decision to follow you doctor’s advice but make sure you understand the pros and cons of doing so and are willing to take whatever risks come with that decision.
I hope you take the step today to make your appointment with your doctor knowing you have the tools to make it a productive meeting for both of you!
1 comment so far ↓
I agree with Dr. Galleno.
As a doctor, and no place more important than in family medicine, I see taking care of patients as a continuity. We’ll take our 15 minute visits here and there, and may seem at times fragmented. Rest assure, as the relationship is more established, things do get easier, we do know you, the patient better, quality of health care delivered does improve, and 15 minutes’ worth is alot more than 15 minutes. That is the intangible positive worth of continuity.
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