We place our health and the health of our families in the hands of doctors, nurses and medical experts. It’s a daunting idea, but if you’re pregnant, have small children, have a medical condition or you want to ensure your health is safeguarded for years to come, then finding the right physician is imperative.
When you walk into the doctor’s office, it’s not always easy to tell if the medical expert you’re seeing is the right one for you and your family. The last thing you want or need is to have your health or the health of a loved one compromised by medical negligence or malpractice – if you’ve been affected by medical malpractice you’ll find a personal injury lawyers directory here.
It’s important to know what to look for in a family physician, so to give you some guidance check out these helpful signs that you’ve found a great doctor.
Getting an appointment isn’t an issue
There’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to get through to your doctor’s office, and then struggle to get an appointment within an acceptable time. There’s little point suffering from pain now and then having to wait four weeks until you can see a physician.
Of course, a good doctor will have lots of patients, which means they’ll be in demand. However, they should do everything they can to try and accommodate you as soon as possible.
The front desk staff are helpful
Rude and obnoxious reception staff are incredibly obstructive and even dangerous. If a patient is constantly turned away, not listened to or even intimidated by the reception staff then they may not wish to make an appointment and they could inadvertently put their health at risk. The reception staff should be a reflection of the quality of care you should receive from your doctor. They should be kind, accommodating and respectful.
Your doctor listens
A good doctor will listen to you. Not only that but they’ll engage with you and make you feel understood. If they’re looking at their computer, not making eye contact or simply rebuffing your health concerns and brushing them off, then alarm bells should be ringing. Find someone else.
You can be honest
If you’re unsure or nervous about a particular kind of treatment that has been prescribed, or you’re worried the doctor may have got something wrong, you should feel comfortable in voicing your concerns. If they’re happy to give you more information and they respect your decision to seek a second opinion then congratulations, you’ve got yourself a good doctor!
Your care is well-coordinated
If you or your children regularly visit other clinics and see other consultants, then your care should be well-coordinated between the different offices. Your doctor should know when your last appointment was with your consultant and what other treatments you’re currently involved with. A lack of communication between different care providers and clinicians only makes things worse and more dangerous for you!
Final thoughts…
A bad doctor can put your health in jeopardy. So, when it comes to your health and wellbeing, never settle for anything but the best.
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