Friday, August 21, 2009

My Doctor = My Advisor! A Changing Role


Gone are the days when all you needed to do was walk into a doctor's office, answer a barrage of questions, get yourself examined, donate body fluids for tests, and do a follow up visit. You went home with a prescription for medication that you diligently consumed until the next aggravating symptom came along!


The twenty first century with its knowledge explosion, technological advancement and heightened consumer awareness has created a new reality. In case you didn't notice, the healthcare field has not remained immune. The mindset of the general public is still lagging behind and is struggling to keep pace with the way the world has shaped and moulded healthcare as it is today. Doctors don't play detectives anymore. Have you noticed that wait times are longer, appointment times are shorter, conversations are hurried and the doctors' offices are generally buzzing with fast-paced activity. You rush in, rush out, and most often, your questions remain unanswered.

References tell us that a patient has an average of only 8-10 minutes per appointment with his doctor, in some cases upto 18 minutes depending on the specialty. Doctors are more aware these days of patients rights and responsibilities and will let patients set the direction of the brief doctor-patient interaction. Do you know your rights and responsibilities as a patient? You can obtain a copy of your medical records. You can keep them private. What about informed consent? Times are changing. Are you prepared to change with the times?

Patients obtain information from various sources. A doctor plays the role of advisor. He is there to help you navigate through the maze of information you have and present a series of alternatives. You decide what's best for you. That is the bottom line. The pressure is on YOU!

So what? Here's the fallout. Are you equipped to make your own decisions? Have you done your homework? Do you have a handy list of questions? Do you know your alternatives? Are you prepared to be your own advocate? In the end, rules, regulations, bureaucracy and third parties decide what you need and don't need. Are you prepared to challenge the status quo if need be? What about second and third opinions? Are you well versed with your explanation of benefits?

You have got to get in the game and play it well. After all, the only person this affects is YOU! The good thing is: You can make it work for you!

For more on patients' rights, check this out: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/patientrights.html

Be well!
Anita


1 comment:

  1. And doctors are so overbooked, they don't even want to spend more time. You're right, the patient needs to be more assertive and know their rights. Great post!

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