How can I get better care from my doctor (5 ways)?
In this article we will describe 5 ways to get better care from your doctor; whether they be your GP, hospital consultant, or another type.
1. Choose your doctors carefully – you need to trust them to help you (and they need to trust you, e,g. to turn up for follow up appointments, and takes your tablets carefully). Ask around. Here are some examples:
- You do not have to register with the nearest GP. Look for smaller more organised practices where you can get continuity. A good website tells you a lot
- You can drive a bit further – to see a better consultant at a better hospital
- You do a lot of research – re choosing restaurants and holidays. Do the same with doctors
- Whoever you choose, continuity is vital – and as important as who it is, i.e. favour continuity (especially to see the same senior doctor or nurse) over reputation of the hospital or unit within a hospital.
2. Do your homework – when it comes to health conditions and treatment options. Know about your conditions, especially ‘silent’ ones like CKD, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Know your medicines, not just the name – the dose and frequency too.
It impresses doctors if you are knowledgeable. They don’t feel threatened.
3. Ask about alternatives – ask about different options along with their risks and benefits. Ask about non-drug, non-operation treatment. Time is the best healer.
4. Be nice to them – in life, you get more from people if you are nice to them. Be nice to their staff, including receptionists and secretaries. Compliments and cards are good.
5. Ask yourself regularly (not just on a GP or hospital clinic day) – what are you doing to help yourself? Have you been asked to stop smoking or lose weight? Are you? Are you a ‘good patient’?
Have you chased the results of recent blood tests? If not, why not? You can do this via the Patients Know Best (PKB) website (which is free) and NHS App (often).
It helps the doctors and help you understand and monitor long-term conditions, if you have them.
Doctors try harder for patients that try harder for themselves.
Oh yes. One other thing
Consider a second opinion. Ask your GP or consultant to recommend someone else. Or just find someone. Would you take a car back to a mechanic who messed it up last time?
A great GP is hugely important.”
They can navigate your illness rather than just willy-nilly jumping from one specialist to another.
Summary
We have described how to get better care from your doctor (5 ways). We hope it has been helpful.
