Choosing the Right Doctor

Whether you are looking into consulting with a psychiatrist, cardiologist, dermatologist, or just a general practitioner, finding the right doctor is very important to most people. It is justifiable for one to want a doctor with a good reputation, especially when it comes to delicate issues. For simpler issues, a patient might just want someone who makes them feel at ease. Different circumstances tend to change people’s needs and wants when it comes to finding the right doctor.

Though it is likely true that all licensed doctors are articulate in the field of their expertise, it is also true that not all doctors are created equal. Even when you find two doctors of equal caliber in all aspects of life, that does not mean they will mesh well with every patient.

Simply put, not all human beings like each other.

One thing that patients should keep in mind is, if their HMO allows, they can change doctors. Just because someone has a consultation with a physician, they should not feel it necessary to maintain any level of loyalty. Most physicians will not take it personally if a patient decides to test the waters with another doctor, assuming that the patient has not already been loyal to them for five or more years. Even then, doctors are logistical creatures; though that is not to say they are emotionless. They are, after all, human beings who entered an altruistic field, and most likely with altruistic intent. But doctors are also business minded, and probably too busy to worry about whether or not you have missed an appointment, or have requested your medical records be sent to another office.

Finding the right doctor is similar to finding the right dance partner. This may sound silly, but it is true. In some cases you may need someone to lead -or diagnose. In some cases you may need someone to let you lead -or listen to you. In some situations you might need someone who just makes you feel comfortable being yourself; someone who is nonjudgemental and seems to legitimately care. But in all cases it is about finding the right doctor for YOU. Finding the right doctor means finding someone who makes you feel comfortable with the kind of care you are receiving. It is the doctors responsibility to find the right care for their patients. It is not a patients responsibility to stick with the first doctor who took their pulse, or even the first doctor who helped them delivery a child. The relationship between physician and patient can either grow, stagnate, or become a force of opposition. Whichever it is, the patient should have a choice, should acknowledge that choice, and not be embarrassed to use it.