why patients are becoming disillusioned with healthcare
GladdMD On Tuesday, November 29, 2011 Quotes recent patients have heard from their doctors:
"Here's your list of symptoms, now we have to figure out a way to get rid of them"
How about some focus on why they are present? Unfortunately, we come out of medical school armed with tools for managing disease, and very little, if any, knowledge in prevention and health. So when we see patients and our whole focus is symptom elimination, it's much quicker to write prescriptions than search for answers.
"Stress and diet have absolutely nothing to do with your irritable bowel and colitis"
Really? Can it be true that the only way to have an impact on your illness is to take prescriptions? Why not let the patient play a role in their condition and overall health? One of the problems is that even if he admitted it played a role, he's likely not equipped to have the conversation on how to go about helping. As providers, we need to realize it's okay to say you don't know, just have the compassion to empathize and knowledge to recommend some providers who do.
"You should take this antidepressant, I do"
Evidence-based medicine at its pinnacle. This is the same doctor that tells their patients fish oil has no evidence, yet the American Psychiatric Association has an entire omega-3 paper covering their recommendations for fish in mental health.
Fed up with the person that supposed to be your partner in health? Does it feel more like a general and army recruit relationship? There are good doctor's out there. You just have to spend some time looking. Make sure you find one that listens, that empathizes, and that has some commitment to looking for root issues.
Have a frustrating quote from your doctor? Share it in the comments section...
Reader Comments (3)
I went in to see my healthcare provider for headaches. This is a physician I new well. She had been treating me for over 10 years. She took my blood pressure and it was elevated. She told me my headaches were from high blood pressure and she wrote me a scrip for blood pressure medicine. Instead of just taking her word for it I monitored my blood pressure for the next three weeks at a local pharmacy. It was normal.
I was told I was insulin resistant and was prescribed metformin. The doctor told me I would be on this medication the rest of my life. I cleaned up my diet, lost some weight, and am not on any medication other than vitamins and feel better than ever.
"There's nothing wrong with you, it's just stress. No need to follow up with the cardiologist, just take this Xanax" when my heart rate was normal resting, but 170 when walking across the room. Just one of many examples, I'm afraid!