interviewing doctors
I've recently had to find a new therapist, select a new PCP, and am seeing a new back specialist on Monday. And I was thinking about how I typically interview new doctors before deciding if I want to see them or not. I don't always do that. Sometimes I need to see a doc fast and don't have time to interview and select the best one, or something I only plan on seeing a doctor for one thing and don't care that much about their personality because I don't plan on having a longterm relationship with them. But most of the time, I interview.
Do you typically interview your doctors or other health care providers? What kind of things do you ask them?
What I ask depends on what I am considering seeing them for. I have at times asked where they went to graduate school, what degree(s) they hold, what license(s) they hold, what kind of experience they have treating whatever it is I would be seeing them for, how they typically treat my problem, and if they are available outside of regular office hours in an emergency. I've also asked if they have experience with other things that apply to me, even if it's not what I would be seeing them for; for instance, I've asked doctors if they had experience dealing with patients with PTSD, even I would be seeing them for medical issues, not psychological things. I've asked them if they were comfortable working collaboratively with me and with my other health care providers.
I've never had a doc seem really uncomfortable about being interviewed, although some have seemed slightly uneasy or like it sort of caught them off guard.
Do you typically interview your doctors or other health care providers? What kind of things do you ask them?
What I ask depends on what I am considering seeing them for. I have at times asked where they went to graduate school, what degree(s) they hold, what license(s) they hold, what kind of experience they have treating whatever it is I would be seeing them for, how they typically treat my problem, and if they are available outside of regular office hours in an emergency. I've also asked if they have experience with other things that apply to me, even if it's not what I would be seeing them for; for instance, I've asked doctors if they had experience dealing with patients with PTSD, even I would be seeing them for medical issues, not psychological things. I've asked them if they were comfortable working collaboratively with me and with my other health care providers.
I've never had a doc seem really uncomfortable about being interviewed, although some have seemed slightly uneasy or like it sort of caught them off guard.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
well with us being military, it is a different story....when i go the base i get who i get...for awhile with the wars and such going on, every time i went to the base for anything, i got someone totally new...then i got this one each time i went..i really liked him..in fact he was the one that put in for the bypass...well i saw him for my 2 week check up, then i went out of town at like the 3 month, and i was gone for 3.5 months..by the time i got back he was gone i have now have someone new..i have been to the base twice since, and saw someone different each time....
now for my chiro...the one i have now i found at another chiros office, he was doing his internship there..when me moved..i moved with him...(he stole me from the original chiro) ha ha..but i will not go to another chiro for any reason...
for my bypass surgery..i was given a choice of 2 docotors from my insurance..that was it....when i have to see a specialist, i have to get the referral from my PCM and then i have a choice of who accepts my insurance..sometimes that is not much...
so far i have been pretty luck....but i have never had the chance to "interview" a doctor..
debby
now for my chiro...the one i have now i found at another chiros office, he was doing his internship there..when me moved..i moved with him...(he stole me from the original chiro) ha ha..but i will not go to another chiro for any reason...
for my bypass surgery..i was given a choice of 2 docotors from my insurance..that was it....when i have to see a specialist, i have to get the referral from my PCM and then i have a choice of who accepts my insurance..sometimes that is not much...
so far i have been pretty luck....but i have never had the chance to "interview" a doctor..
debby
that's a good question. I haven't ever interviewed a doctor.
For years I had to go to whomever my insurance dictated, so there wasn't a lot of choice. When I picked my current PCM, I went to him for something minor to give him a chance. If he hadn't worked out, I would have just moved on. As it turns out, we get along like peas and carrots and have a similar approach to health related things.
As far as my wls doctor, I did not interview him but I did research his credentials and went to hear him speak. I had talked to another doctor before, so I knew what I didn't want in a surgeon.
For years I had to go to whomever my insurance dictated, so there wasn't a lot of choice. When I picked my current PCM, I went to him for something minor to give him a chance. If he hadn't worked out, I would have just moved on. As it turns out, we get along like peas and carrots and have a similar approach to health related things.
As far as my wls doctor, I did not interview him but I did research his credentials and went to hear him speak. I had talked to another doctor before, so I knew what I didn't want in a surgeon.
I generally view this as an initial consult with the doctor. I have interviewed my kids' pediatrician, two ob/gyns (one insisted on it prior to the first exam), my bariatric surgeon - although I had already gotten some great recommendations on her, and a plastic surgeon who also does an "interview"/ informational meeting before starting the process.
The only doctors I ever "interviewed" was my RNY surgeon and the surgeon who did all my plastic surgery except my panniculectomy. For my RNY, she had already answered several of my questions during her information session presentation, so I just had to ask her about things like her feedback on which urgery would be best for me, whether a RNY would be open vs. lap in my particular case, her policy on gallbladder removal, and her post-op eating plan. With the PS, I had also already heard him speak at a support group meeting (and seem some slides of surgery results on WLS patients to see realistic expectations), so I was mostly interested in seeing more rpictures of his other patients to see his work and finding out what his policy was as far as whether the surgery fee covered extra visits if there were complications.
When I had to change PCPs, my old one had quit without notice to her patients and I needed my Coumadin and Synthroid refilled, so I told them I would see whomever else in the practice was available first. I liked this guy well enough to NOT actively look for someone else, and the more I saw him, the more I liked him. For specialists, it has usually been a matter of a referral from my PCP or another doctor with whom I already have a relationship established.
Lora
When I had to change PCPs, my old one had quit without notice to her patients and I needed my Coumadin and Synthroid refilled, so I told them I would see whomever else in the practice was available first. I liked this guy well enough to NOT actively look for someone else, and the more I saw him, the more I liked him. For specialists, it has usually been a matter of a referral from my PCP or another doctor with whom I already have a relationship established.
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
i usually ask my pcp for a recommendation. it's worked out somewhat. my cardiologist is amazing, and since the two of them work together on a bunch of patients things are always communicated really well. he recommended a psychologist (who my dad goes to and loves) but she wasn't taking new patients so she recommended someone else in her practice who i hated, but i can't really blame him on that one. i'm not a fan of the neurologist he sent me to, he just wanted to fix the problem, not find the cause. and i only went to the dermatologist he sent me to once but they were great.
<3 jen <3
<3 starting weight: 252 <3 goal weight: 135 <3 current weight: 151 <3
RNY: 9/27/10 <3 Extended Tummy Tuck w/hip & thigh lipo: 6/6/13
For regular care, I go to the doctor for something minor and see how I like them. (I'm in the process of looking for someone now). I found my OBGYN from a friend's referral. I ended up loving the one I initially saw, and then transferred to someone who I like even better when the first doctor started specializing in obstetrics.
I usually don't do in depth interview type questions. Most of that information is usually available from the office adminstration or even online, and I won't see anyone who won't release a curriculum vitae. I want to spend my interview talking about the approach to my care, because if I feel that I'm not going to be in control of my care, it's not going to work. I also don't want unnecessary tests. For example, with my endometriosis, I had chronic and frequent UTI's. For years, my doctors would require me to go to the clinic for a urine test, even though I ALWAYS took uristat, which would mess up the test.
Finally, I found a PCP who agreed to call in a prescription for antibiotics with a phone call. My OBGYN and I talked about just giving me a prescription for antibiotics, but we decided TOGETHER that they were just infrequent enough that the antibiotics could go bad. Also, sometimes, with endometriosis, you can have UTI symptoms that last for a few hours, but go away, and it is generally better to have the symptoms for a day or longer before you take antibiotics in that case, because you don't want to develop antibiotic resistant UTI's.
Anyway... the point is that I want a doctor who (1) knows this stuff; (2) knows that I know this stuff; and (3) will work for me instead of for my insurance company.
I usually don't do in depth interview type questions. Most of that information is usually available from the office adminstration or even online, and I won't see anyone who won't release a curriculum vitae. I want to spend my interview talking about the approach to my care, because if I feel that I'm not going to be in control of my care, it's not going to work. I also don't want unnecessary tests. For example, with my endometriosis, I had chronic and frequent UTI's. For years, my doctors would require me to go to the clinic for a urine test, even though I ALWAYS took uristat, which would mess up the test.
Finally, I found a PCP who agreed to call in a prescription for antibiotics with a phone call. My OBGYN and I talked about just giving me a prescription for antibiotics, but we decided TOGETHER that they were just infrequent enough that the antibiotics could go bad. Also, sometimes, with endometriosis, you can have UTI symptoms that last for a few hours, but go away, and it is generally better to have the symptoms for a day or longer before you take antibiotics in that case, because you don't want to develop antibiotic resistant UTI's.
Anyway... the point is that I want a doctor who (1) knows this stuff; (2) knows that I know this stuff; and (3) will work for me instead of for my insurance company.
Anyway... the point is that I want a doctor who (1) knows this stuff; (2) knows that I know this stuff; and (3) will work for me instead of for my insurance company.
OK, you just summed up exactly what I want in a doc.
OK, you just summed up exactly what I want in a doc.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I too interview my PCP's. I do this because if I ask for a narcotic for any reason, I dont want to get the run around. If I ask for an antibiotic, I don't want to get the run around. If I ask for a predinisone, I can't be gettin' the run around. So that's why I interview them to ensure that they are at least willing to trust me and my decision about my healthcare.
I without hesitation interviewed every last sugeon before they took a knife to me. I don't have to say why.
I without hesitation interviewed every last sugeon before they took a knife to me. I don't have to say why.
I am probably the most non-medical person I know so it would be hard for me to interview anyone medical, however I am very aware of their manners and personality. I've been dealing with people for many years and have developed a strong intuitive sense about the people I meet and do business with.
When my FIL was alive we decided to go to his doctor so we could have a personal relationship with him and hopefully it would carry over to his care. That worked for us.
Just lately we went to a knee specialist *****commends a medical equipment supplier who was practicing business fraud. We don't know if the doctor is getting a kick back but everything the office staff said just didn't add up nor did the supplier's behavior. We called the Medicare Fruad number and presented our concerns and they are now being investigated. Needless to say we are not seeing that specialist again.
As far as asking questions, I do as much searching on the internet as I can and when I am in the office I present what I have found and we discuss it. I have learned that you need to be assertive and show self determination to find the reason for why you feel bad or why you are in the office.
That's my 2 cents worth.
When my FIL was alive we decided to go to his doctor so we could have a personal relationship with him and hopefully it would carry over to his care. That worked for us.
Just lately we went to a knee specialist *****commends a medical equipment supplier who was practicing business fraud. We don't know if the doctor is getting a kick back but everything the office staff said just didn't add up nor did the supplier's behavior. We called the Medicare Fruad number and presented our concerns and they are now being investigated. Needless to say we are not seeing that specialist again.
As far as asking questions, I do as much searching on the internet as I can and when I am in the office I present what I have found and we discuss it. I have learned that you need to be assertive and show self determination to find the reason for why you feel bad or why you are in the office.
That's my 2 cents worth.
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