Firing Your Doctor

Is your doctor acting like a child? {image via pinterest}

I had a less-than-stellar experience with one of my physicians recently. I’ll spare you the muddy details, but it was borne out of a combination of unreasonable waiting times, irritable support staff, inability to get in for an appointment, and inappropriate comments made by the doc herself. Looking at this situation from any other seat, it seems reasonable to pull out the Blackberry and search for another provider on my way down the elevator. And yet something told me to go back for my next appointment and see what I thought.

So I dutifully went, listening to that compliant, wouldn’t-want-to-make-a-fuss little girl inside of me. And it was slightly better, actually. The wait was only moderately unreasonably long, my next appointment slightly easier to make, and my doc seemingly less stressed. But then they made a billing error. And took over five weeks to resolve it.

And you know what? That pesky little voice inside of me told me that I should still just ignore it. It was a little better the next time after all, right? And wouldn’t it be a pain to transfer all of my records? And this office is so convenient from work! And is it really worth it to call around? What if the next office is just as bad?

Oh, mind, the places you’ll go…

A better question to ask myself was why I was making so many excuses for not getting the heck out of that practice and into a place that would support my health. A little bit of self-reflection allowed me to come up with some pretty understandable reasons — ones that I knew I could work on to get to a place where I could advocate for myself. And when I started talking to other people about all this, I realized that there are lots of us out there who are settling for less than amazing health care. And I knew that this wasn’t okay.

So many of us allow things to slide when it comes to those who manage our health. From using inappropriate or offensive language to not looking up from an iPad to dismissing our concerns about a health issue, medical professionals screw up sometimes. Some screw up lots of times.

And in case you’re an MD and thinking I’m laying this all on you, I’m not. Psychologists, naturopaths, dentists, accupuncturists — heck, even your vet — can all be guilty.

The people that we entrust with out health are some of the most important people in our lives. And they not only have a responsibility to ensure that our physical health is sound, but they have a responsibility to ensure that our whole health is sound. That means treating us with respect and dignity, staying attuned to our emotional and mental state, and even being cognizant of our cultural and spiritual health as well. I realize this is a lot to ask of those who treat us, but as a provider myself, I’m willing to make that commitment. And I expect others to do the same.

There are of course situations in which it’s worth talking to your doc before giving him or her the boot. Then there are the non-negotiables (like, say, mixing you up with another patient and giving you the wrong treatment, or even using offensive or derogatory language). You’ll have to decide if it’s worth having a conversation about your concerns. If the issue relates to something administrative, take it up with the office manager rather than cutting into your time with your provider.

If you’re unsure what to do, share the situation with a few trusted friends and gauge their take. If it’s clear that moving on is the right thing to do, and you’re still finding yourself stuck, it’s worth exploring a little deeper. Remember — you deserve the best care possible, and there are tons of caring professionals out there to do it. Don’t sell yourself – or your well-being – short.