Connect
← Return to Keys to a Successful Doctor's Appointment
Discussion
Keys to a Successful Doctor's Appointment
Visiting Mayo Clinic | Last Active: Oct 4 10:56am | Replies (57)Comment receiving replies
Great video with nuggets for patients to know. Here's the video transcipt:
What questions do you wish your patients would ask?
Craig Sawchuk, Ph.D., Psychology: I wish patients would ask me more often, "What can I keep doing so I don't necessarily have to come back and see somebody like me?"
Laura Raffals, M.D., Gastroenterology and Hepatology: I hope that my patients will ask how they can improve their lifestyle or ask me what changes they can make in their lifestyle to help their overall health.
Dr. Sawchuk: Being in mental health, there's lots of things even long after therapy is over, that people can actually continue to do to maintain their gains over time.
Mikel Prieto, M.D., Transplant Surgery: Don't leave the office with questions because you just didn't dare to ask. The thing that would bother me the most is somebody, after leaving, they thought, "I wish I had dared to ask this or that," or "I wish I thought about this question."
Yvonne Butler Tobah, M.D., Obstetrics and Gynecology: Start asking questions like, "Well, how can I manage the pain during pregnancy?" As opposed to, "Oh my gosh, there's going to be so much pain during pregnancy."
Ian Parney, M.D., Ph.D., Neurosurgery: I encourage them all to speak up, to get as much information as they can, to ask as many things as they want to ask, to seek out as many sources of information as they'd like.
Dr. Butler Tobah: There's absolutely nothing wrong with walking into your doctor's office and stating that, "I'm worried about X," because of either this experience or, "Because I've heard this," and it's starting the discussion from there.
Karthik Giridhar, M.D., Medical Oncology: I love working with engaged patients. Patients that want to make sure that they're understanding why we're doing what we're recommending.
Dr. Prieto: What I want when I see a patient is that when they leave, they feel they have had the answers to everything they wanted to know.
Replies to "Great video with nuggets for patients to know. Here's the video transcipt: What questions do you..."
Please don’t ask us to carry more than we already have to, when we spend every day just trying to survive. How is that fair?
Also, why is it on us to figure out how to communicate with doctors? They could simply do their research ahead of time or after the appointment, and figure out how to ask the right questions to us. That’s what every other profession asks of its practitioners when it comes to customer service.
The Hippocratic Oath says “do no harm.” Doctors and the medical community would be wise to adhere to that.
Karthik Giridhar, M.D., Medical Oncology: “ I love working with engaged patients. Patients that want to make sure that they're understanding why we're doing what we're recommending. “
@colleenyoung This is amazing and should be the approach for doctors and specialists alike. Unfortunately curiosity seems to be lacking n some primary care physicians. Of course they are busy. I was denied tests ( no sputum test although I asked three times ) and finally got an X-ray when I showed a photo of the sputum to the doctor. She had never asked for details.
Never was asked about consistency of phelgm and when I had told the individual about symptoms for over two years, I was told that colour of mucus isn’t always important and I might be causing symptoms through concern. Sputum was changing colour, had cough, experienced fatigue, among other symptoms. Assumptions were made.
Doctors are trained to be certain and some are reluctant to explore.
The physician was also reluctant to provide the results of the first X-ray but I asked again and got it. I could add more details here but I know others have had similar frustrating experiences. Now I have access to all tests and have a pulmonologist.
Having some notes and questions seemed to intimidate this doctor. University programs should address this while doctors are in training. Being curious and humble are such important qualities. Temperament of course can’t be taught, but a dose of self awareness would help.
New European research (2023) shows that colour of phelgm has been shown to be an indicator of infection and should be considered. Hope more doctors have access to and read the new research. It could make a difference with earlier diagnosis.
This is a great topic. I think first we should establish the goals of the appointment - especially important for patients with multiple related conditions. For example lung cancer has other lung issues and possible related heart issues. Treatment decisions must consider all factors.
And with the increased use of PAs and NPs, they come in, interview the patient in an unstructured way, and the doctor rushes in, dependent on the accuracy of the PA/NP who also seems to write up the notes after. I have found several inaccuracies in their notes.
For patients with multiple related conditions, I envision a more structured appointment in a framework specifically designed to fit the patient, that would include an update of related issues to the main illness for each visit.
Connect
I never have had a doctor that gave two hoots about my questions, especially if I researched and wrote them down. I don't even try anymore. It is pointless. I go to the internet and try to figure it out myself. I frankly wish it were different. I have 45 years of being managed by doctors who pontificate and leave as quickly as they are able to get onto the next billable 15 minutes.