Good morning Jean- The people who aren't proactive might not get the care they should get. In this day and age, everyone should be self-advocating! And if they can't they need to find someone who will. I don't think that there is a way around this anymore.
Radiologists and technicians are having huge demands put on them by doctors, especially in teaching hospitals. Mistakes will occur, but that doesn't mean that we should be left on the side of the road. We need to stand up and speak up so that we understand everything that affects our particular situation.
I can imagine that it's exhausting to keep track of everything for yourself and your husband. But we are way beyond not wanting to bother the doctor, way beyond trusting everyone. Doctors are human and will make mistakes. There are just too many of us and it's up to us to make sure that they pay attention.
We all need to ask questions and read everything that we can. It's just that type of world now.
What do you think would be the first step to starting this process of the patient-doctor relationship?
Finding a doctor who you feel you can ask questions with, one who doesn’t look at their watch during your visit, takes time for you and treats you as an individual patient. If you don’t have this then change your doctor. Also you need a doctor who will give you the tests that you feel you need. I ask for these and normally get them. I used to get an pelvic mri at Stanford with gel my gynecologist oncologist has not mentioned this so when I go on the 18th this will be one of my questions. I have excellent insurance so there is no reason not to get it.