It goes without saying, American doctors are the worst in the industrialized world. Despite the fact that the highest paid doctors in the world are Americans, American doctors are the 3rd leading cause of preventable death. These arrogant and overpaid crybabies don't have to be polite of competent because there is a doctor shortage in the US. The following US News and World Report article discusses what to do about these bums.
Getting Rid of Your Stumble Bum Doctor
Staying with a doctor you're not
happy with is as harmful as staying in a relationship you know is bad
because it's easier than making a change. But parting ways may be the
healthiest move. Here are 9 signs that it's time to fire your doctor.
(For simplicity, the references below are to male doctors, but men don't
have a monopoly on unacceptable behavior.)
1. You don't mesh.
You and your doctor don't need to see eye to eye on everything, but
it's helpful if you work well together. If you want a partnership, for
example, a doctor who spouts commands is not the best fit. If you value
warmth, you may not be able to build an effective relationship with a
physician who seems formal or distant. "Some patients like doctors who
are very direct and blunt," says Washington, D.C.-based family physician
Kenny Lin, who blogs for U.S. News.
"And some patients can't stand that type of doctor because they think
he or she isn't empathetic enough or doesn't provide enough options."
When there's a mismatch, neither person is at fault—but it could be
grounds for termination.
[
Find a Top Doctor near you.]
2. He doesn't respect your time.
Do you routinely wait an hour to see your physician only to feel like
he's speed-doctoring through the visit? You should never feel like
you're being rushed. If your doctor doesn't take the time to answer your
questions or address your concerns, there's a problem. The medical
community is becoming increasingly sensitive to patients' precious time.
When they're late for an appointment, some habitually tardy doctors
have even begun compensating patients with money or gifts. If your
doctor's chronic lateness makes you grind your teeth, why stay with him?
Hint: If you're evaluating a prospective physician, investigate his
timeliness beforehand.
This map
showcases doctors who are conscious of the clock and live up to the
standards of the Ideal Medical Practices Organization, a nonprofit that
encourages doctors to be on time.
3. He keeps you in the dark.
A doctor should be open and thorough about why he recommends a certain
treatment or orders a specific test, and he should share all results
with you. "If a doctor doesn't explain himself, or at least not to your
satisfaction, at that point a doctor is bad," Lin says. "I know doctors
who have drawn blood or run a bunch of tests without telling patients
why they're doing them and what they mean." It's also important that a
doctor uses terms you understand, rather than complicated medical
jargon; otherwise, explanations are meaningless. Your health is too
important to feel confused or uninformed.
[
Decoding Doctor-Speak: Translations of Common Medical Terms]
4. He doesn't listen.
Does your doctor hear you out without interrupting? "It all comes down
to communication and whether you feel like you're asking questions and
they're not being answered," says Carolyn Clancy, director of the Agency
for Healthcare Research and Quality. She recalls visiting a doctor for a
second opinion on whether she should go through with a procedure
recommended by her dentist. "He made a big leap—that I didn't want to
have it done because I was afraid of the pain—and kept reassuring me
that it was virtually pain-free. That's not what I was asking. After
three rounds, I concluded that we weren't going to get to a productive
place, and I didn't go back."
[
3 Ways to Get Your Doctor to Take Your Pain Seriously]
5. The office staff is unprofessional.
The receptionists are the link between you and the doctor. If they blow
you off—or neglect to give your message to the physician, say about
side effects of a new medication—your health could be at risk. Even if
you like your doctor, a bad office staff could signal it's time to look
elsewhere.
6. You don't feel comfortable with him, or wonder about his competence.
Doctors need to know intimate details you may not even share with
friends or family members. If you're unable to disclose such facts, you
and your doctor may not be the right match. A sense of unease about his
decisions and recommendations, even if you can't say exactly why, is
also a perfectly legitimate reason for cutting the cord, says Don
Powell, president of the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, a
nonprofit that promotes healthy behavior through wellness programs and
publications. Beware of sloppy medical mistakes, too: If your doctor
prescribes a medication to which you're allergic, and you know that
information is in your history, a separation may be in order.
7. He doesn't coordinate with other doctors. Your
primary care physician should be the quarterback of your healthcare
team, managing each step of the medical process. That means keeping
track of specialists' reports and instructions and talking with you
about their recommendations. If he's slacking, an important piece of
your care could slip through the cracks.
[
Your Primary Care Team Will See You Now]
8. He's unreachable. A good doctor is available for follow-up questions and concerns. Patient advocate Trisha Torrey, author of
You Bet Your Life! The 10 Mistakes Every Patient Makes,
recalls the time her husband developed severe tooth pain on a weekend.
His dentist's voicemail included a cell phone number and a promise of a
quick response, but he never heard back. An emergency clinic visit and
root canal later, he told his dentist she was fired. A growing number of
doctors are making themselves available to patients via E-mail, text
message, and Skype, and at the very least, you need to know that in an
emergency, you won't be left hanging.
[
Doctor-Patient E-Mails Are a Healthy Addition, Research Shows]
9. He's rude or condescending.
Time to part ways. Same goes if he trivializes your concerns as though
they're not valid. One of the clearest signs you should move on is if he
walks out of the room while you're still talking, says Clancy. That's
what happened when her sister met with a surgeon to determine if her
daughter should go through with a procedure. "When my sister finished
asking her question, the doctor was gone," Clancy recalls. "She called
me afterward and I told her, 'You have to find someone else. You'll
regret it if you don't.' "
