As I used to tell my daughters (who are all grown up and telling their loved ones now):  you need to command respect to get respect.

Remember that insurance tells your doctor s/he can spend only six minutes with you!  That means you need to:

• Be concise  -- Don't ramble.  Ask and answer questions succinctly and get to the point.
• Be prepared -- Write down questions ahead of time, and take a recorder or pad of paper to write down answers.
• That's YOUR side of the bargain.  If you are respecting your doctor in these ways, then you can command similar respect from your doctor.
• If your doctor starts to leave and you aren't finished with questions:  ask your doctor not to leave -- and tell him or her you have more questions.
• If your doctor interrupts you:  then tell him or her that you understand s/he is in a hurry, but please don't interrupt -- you have more questions and you want to understand clearly.

Two more points: 

• Don't waste your doctor's time asking questions that his or her staff can answer.  You can get driving directions to a testing lab, or admission information to a hospital from someone else.
• If you still feel as if your doctor is not respecting you, and listening to you, then find yourself another doctor.

• For MOST of your records, you have a right to obtain copies.  There are exceptions, and they are regulated by state, federal and institutional policies and laws. (Aren't there always exceptions)
• If you want medical test results, or copies of your doctors' notes, then you need to call that doctor and ask what their procedure is.  Most doctors will require you make your request in writing.  Depending on how long ago the notes were taken or the tests were done, it may take from several days to two months for you to get those copies.  And, by law, the doctor is allowed to charge you up to 75 cents per page.  Not all do -- but they are allowed to.
• Again, with some exceptions, doctors are only required to keep your records for up to six years -- so -- if you request records that are older than that, don't be surprised if they are not available. 

I have three easy hints for you to get your started:

1.		There is an organization based in Switzerland called Health On the Net (HON).  It was started in the mid-1990s and it accredits health and medical websites that meet a strict set of criteria.  There are two ways to use this service: First, if you log on to their search engine, you can search for the information you want, and the only results you'll get from the search will be from websites that have been approved by HON.  Find the HON website here:  www.HON.ch  (ch is the extension used for websites based in Switzerland.  Don't worry -- there is an English version!)
		Alternatively, look for the HON logo on the websites you visit.  See a sample at right.  Click on that logo and it should take you directly to the HON website where it will confirm that the website you want to pull information from has good, reliable information for you to use.
2.		Quite a bit of helpful medical information is available on the websites of professional journals.  The reason this information is so good is because it is evidence based, and peer reviewed.  That means the information must have been proven through a scientific method, and other doctors will the appropriate credentials have reviewed the information.  For lists of these journals, link to the DiagKNOWsis website, link here.
3.		Make sure that any information you find can be duplicated elsewhere.  For example if you read about a new treatment that seems like it would be helpful to you, make sure another site that is credible has the same information.  That should prevent you from committing yourself to a treatment that is bogus, or not sanctioned by people who really know what they are talking about.

Return to
Main List of Columns

Would you like to be
notified when new
columns are
accessible?

Do you have a column request?
Contact Trisha.

©  2006 Trisha Torrey

Trisha Torrey is
Every Patient’s Advocate^TM.
She offers no medical advice,
but empowers those who
want to learn more about diagnosis and treatment
options by providing useful
tools and resources.
 

Return to Main List of Columns

Publishers and Editors:
if you would like to include
this, or a similar column
in your publication,
please inquire here.