Follow up about my health issues... Part One
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive December 2006:
Follow up about my health issues... Part One
I know how important it is that you like your doctor and are comfort with him/her. I didn't care for my last doctor very much. I'm sure there were times when I should have went for a checkup but didn't. I felt that he didn't care about helping you and didn't really do anything for you. The doctor I had before him was wonderful though but he retired.
I've been thinking about switching doctors.
One reason being… My primary care provider is only at the office in my area one day a week. I don’t know where he is the other days. It’s not like we can always wait until that particular day to see the doctor. And I don’t want to have to see a different doctor every time I go in. He wasn’t even at the office the day that I had my "scheduled" appointment. I don't know why they'd schedule me an appointment knowing that he wouldn't be in that day.
Another reason is… every time I try to reach someone at that doctor’s office, I just get an answering service and no one returns my calls. Out of all of the calls I made to the doctor’s office, only one was returned and that was the first one concerning making my first appointment to be seen. Does most doctor’s offices now days have an answering service instead of getting an actual person when you call? I'm sure MOST doctor’s offices return calls to their patients though!
I had to switch health insurance a couple of months ago and only certain doctors in my area take this health insurance. Which is my reason for needing to switch doctors. The doctor that I'm supposed to be seeing is the one that was assigned to me when I got on this insurance. Someone else that uses this type of insurance did tell me that it is fairly easy to switch doctors.
My personal opinion is that you should change doctors if there is any reason that you're uncomfortable about seeing the one you're currently going to. A fact that so many people forget (including myself and most doctors) is that *they* work for *you* so, unless you are bound into a specific doctor due to insurance, you don't have to stay with them.
My doctor's office is part of a HUGE group in this area and there is always a real live person answering the phone. Most of the time, they can get a nurse to call me back within four hours or the doctor will call me back in 24 hours. If that isn't soon enough, they'll fit me in or let their affiliated Urgent Care Center know we're coming in so we're seen sooner.
The practice I go to is huge, one of the biggest in our area. I have seen this doctor for 13 years. He has had to hire in three PA's to work under him in his office because of the number of patients he sees. I generally see one and I love her to death. She has caught a couple of potentially huge issues I have had with in the last year. IF I have something major I need him to deal with he will come in and over see whatever is going on, with out an issue.
When you call his office you only speak to an answering service at his office if.. You call in to request a refill on medication, they check that line three times a day (9, 12 and again at 4) or if it is after hours you can leave messages to cancel appointments etc. If you have a test run and get a negative result or an expected result (meaning you are diabetic and it was a screening to check your levels and they are with in range) they do not call you. Otherwise you are called with in 48 hours, He will personally track down results if he doesn't have them by then. Which seldom happens.
Look into a new doctor.. Like Tink said, They work for you and it sounds as if they might have forgotten this. To many are worried about getting in the quantity of patients that they forget to give the quality care they take an oath to provide.
I did have to switch health insurance a couple of months ago and only certain doctors in my area take this health insurance. Which is my reason for needing to switch doctors. The doctor that I'm supposed to be seeing is the one that was assigned to me when I got on this insurance. Someone else that uses this type of insurance did tell me that it is fairly easy to switch doctors. So I'll see what the doctor says Monday, then decide what I'll do.
I know how important it is that you like your doctor and are comfort with him/her. I didn't care for my last doctor very much. I'm sure there were times when I should have went for a checkup but didn't. I felt that he didn't care about helping you and didn't really do anything for you. The doctor I had before him was wonderful though but he retired.
Sorry... double post
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