So far, I’ve mostly talked about what doctors can do. What about the patients and/or caregivers – what can we do?
Ask questions if you don’t understand something.
Unless you have a deer in the headlights look, they don’t know that you don’t understand. Or maybe you already had that look on your face when you came in because you are so overwhelmed by everything that is happening. Sometimes they forget we don’t know all the jargon they’ve been taught for years. It’s second nature for them.
My dad who practiced medicine for 37 years, had a head injury that left him unconscious in ICU for about a month. My brother recounted a story about being in the room talking to the doctor and feeling like dad understood even though he couldn’t respond. He responded to the language he had learned so well.
Explain your symptoms as well as you can.
Remember you don’t use the same jargon the doctor does. If you are asked more questions to clarify, they are trying to understand. What you say might mean something else to them. Don’t feel like they are not listening – they are trying to understand your explanation. Asking questions is the only way they can get to the answers.
Leave everything outside the room or put it away when the doctor comes in.
I’ve had times when my phone rang when I was in with a doctor and had them ask if I needed to answer. No, this is more important now. It might have been better if I would have turned my ringer off so neither of us had the distraction.
This also means leaving your personal issues outside the room unless they are affecting your health, and they very well may be. I travel out of town to see doctors – sometimes 20 miles, and up to 350 miles. I almost always have other appointments or errands to run. Put your shopping list or anything else you are thinking about aside when the doctor comes into the room.
Their appointment times are dictated by a pencil pusher somewhere.
If they happen to be running late take it in stride. They may have had to spend a little extra time telling someone they’ve been diagnosed with a difficult disease. Or they needed to run some tests and wanted the patient to return for results and be added back into their schedule. The compassion they show to other patients will be the same compassion they show to you. Give them some grace.
My horses and I can help you create better connections with yourself and others. Whether it be a doctor/patient relationship or a personal relationship. This can create more synergy in your relationships and more balance in your life. Connect with me here to find out more.
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Onward!
