In this article today I would like to talk about several tips, tricks, and techniques that you can use to make sure you're getting the very best from your doctor and make sure they're not making certain common mistakes.
As patients we are generally aware of the fact that most doctors have shortcomings.
These can range from simply running late for appointments or not listening carefully while we explain our problems, on up to more significant things that can be life-threatening.
It is important to recognize when your doctor has made a mistake.
In this article I'm going to talk about some common mistakes, how you can spot them, and what you should do about it.
One common mistake is when doctors don't prescribe the best medication.
The drug industry is always changing and some doctors have a hard time keeping up with that change.
Many keep prescribing the same old out of date drugs that they are used to prescribing even though there may be something better available.
One thing you as a patient can do is always question your prescriptions.
Ask what the drug is for, whether or not there could be any side effects, or whether it could interact with other drugs.
Also ask how long it should take for the medication to work.
Another common mistake that many doctors make is to fail to order certain crucial diagnostic tests.
Sometimes doctors have a financial incentive to order tests, but sometimes they have a financial incentive not to order tests too.
You should always ask your doctor if there's a test that they could run to make them more confident in their diagnosis.
Another common mistake that some doctors make is to perform surgery despite not being particularly experienced with a given procedure.
I can't even tell you how many studies have shown that the more often a doctor does a surgery, the more proficient they get at doing it.
Some doctors are too embarrassed to admit they don't have much experience with a particular procedure so you should ask them yourself always and if they don't have experience, ask for a referral to somebody who does.
Finally one mistake many doctors make is in failing to disclose the risks associated with certain treatments.
Most of the time doctors are pretty good about describing normal risks, but sometimes they fail to mention uncommon risks because it slips their mind.
You should always ask your doctor about the risks involved in any procedure or treatment you're about to have.
So there you have several tips, tricks, and techniques that you can use to make sure you're getting the very best from your doctor and make sure they're not making common mistakes that many doctors have been known to make in the past.