10 Things Your Primary Care Doctor Does That Should Make You Run for the Hills
In the last year I've had the opportunity to be a patient and a Doctor. I have frustrations like you do so I came up with my list.
1) Dr X leaves you waiting more than 45 minutes in the room on more than one occasion without an explanation or a quick apology when entering the room "I'm sorry to keep you waiting." Another way to handle it is to have the nurse let you know "Dr X is running 30 minutes late today so you can grab a coffee or a magazine"
2) Dr X's office provides no way for you to reach a HUMAN VOICE afterhours or on the weekends if you have a medical issue that requires attention THAT NIGHT.
3) Dr X smells like cigarette smoke. I get it...it's a hard habit to kick....but you can't smell like cigarettes when you are going to counsel your patients about modifying their risk factors for stroke and heart disease. You should cut it out during your clinic day.
4) Dr X doesn't touch you. You have a specific complaint (shortness of breath, knee pain, sore throat) and your primary care doctor doesn't look or listen to the affected area....maybe I'm old school but the answer so often lies in the physical exam
5) You are having severe pain (i.e. back pain after you lifted a couch), not relieved with over the counter meds, and Dr X is unwilling to prescribe pain meds for breakthrough pain because "they are addictive". We are dismal at treating pain in the primary care setting for unfounded fears of this. Short term use of Vicodin, Tylenol with codeine, etc for treatment of acute pain is completely fine for most patients.
6) You are talking about feeling depressed, sad or discussing a painful life event (the recent loss of a parent, etc) and you start to cry.... and you notice Dr X appears uncomfortable and tries to change the subject. Bad news.
7) A recent study showed that during 30% of primary care visits the doctor spent more time talking about themselves than they did the patient. Ok my patients often ask me how my kids are. 30 seconds...that's the amount of time I spend talking about myself. This visit is about YOU and we are already limited in what we can do in 15 minutes.
8) Dr X says "that's just part of getting old" when you have a complaint. Its true: arthritis, visual changes, decreased hearing, sun damaged skin are among the fun things that go along with getting old but WE CAN STILL HAVE A PLAN to deal with them and alter their course.
9) Dr X delivers bad news (loss of a pregnancy, a positive STD test, a new cancer diagnosis) with language that is short, sharp, rushed and without emotion. Some news will change a person's life forever and they will always remember that moment.....to add to it with a cold delivery is just painful.
10) Dr X can't say "I don't know what that is....but let's make sure it's not something worrisome". Often a patient has a pain, skin lesion, weird symptom that occurs only when they are doing such and such activity and I don't know WHAT it is. But it's your doc's job to admit that...and say they will do their best to monitor it and rule out worrisome things.
Am I missing anything?
Dr O.
Categories: News
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122
Talking to you like your are 5 years old is, unless you are actually 5, extremely annoying.
By SophieB123 November 21, 2008 10:47am
121
Dr X rushes through the appointment and his explaination of his found knowledge leaving the paitent with questions that they do not understand, or says you will be fine think positive. This is hard for someone with ADD and depression.
By Waitingforhim November 21, 2008 10:43am
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Thanks Doctor for caring enough to let us know what we should know about our physcians. You sound very compassionate and I wish more doctors were like you...
By lizjohn November 14, 2008 10:03am
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I have met my PCP doctor one time in the year I have been going there. There is a sign on the wall that says we have nurse practioners and doctor's assistants to see you.
The one time the doctor came in he asked if I wanted a screen put in my leg in case I get a blood clot. I said no. He checked my back and never said to take a deep breathe. After he left the doctor's assistant said she knew he had checked it but she needed to also. Sure she did, she needed to do it right!
At least I will know what he looks like if I ever have to go to the hospital and he walks in!
I hear more and more people say they don't ever see their doctor either. So what are these doctors doing all day? Just sitting there at a desk? taking a nap?
I was always accustomed to a doctor seeing me every time I came to the office so this was a shock. I know not all doctors are like this.
By Ann60 November 13, 2008 1:05am
118
Over the last 2 weeks, I have had 2 bad experiences with my Dr. 1... I called because I was given Clinoril for my arthritis, Was having bad Diarrhea, was told to just continue my Ultracet.. I DON"T EVEN TAKE ULTRACET... told the nurse that.. she didn't know what to say.. keep in mind that I get the call back from the nurse 10 minutes after the clinic has closed. So I called the next day to say I DON"T TAKE ULTRACET, I need something to take , I am hurting, the nurse said.. well we called you in some Ultram on _____ and also a refill.. I said, I know and I don't have any more, she quickly said.. you should have some left.. maybe you are just taking too many of them, she was gonna have to call the pharmacy and check on this before she could do anything for me.. this was at 12:15.. about 1:00 I decided to call my pharmacist, and see if the nurse called and to also make sure I hadn't taken too many of them,(the nurse made me even doubt myself) She said the nurse had called and that she had told her that if I was taking the Ultram like it was prescribed I would have been out 2 weeks ago. So I waited to see when the nurse would call me back and let me know , the pharmacist also told me the nurse called me in some Ultram.. I DIDN;T EVEN CALL FOR ULTRAM>> IT DON"T HELP!! 5:00 came , clinic closed... no call from the nurse.. so the next day I went first thing and picked up the Ultram, I had to have something, it may help some but not alot, so I got back home and waited.. finally around lunch I called out there, and explained that I had NOT been called back.. the secretary said.. You know you have some samples up front waiting for you to pick up... I said NO I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.. it was Lidoderm patches.. and no one had bothered to call me and tell me about them, nor did anybody call me and tell me they had called me some more Ultram in to the pharmacy. The secretary said she would let the Dr. know .
2..... Friday, I had a migraine a severe one, throwing up bad, so I called the clinic about 2:00, at 4:00 , no call yet, so my husband called back out there and the secretary apologized , she said they had been swamped with giving the flu shots, he just explained to her that I had a migraine and that I needed the rescue shot,, so she put him on hold and went and asked. and MY doctor said I don't have time to see her. O.k. just slap me in the face.. what she should have just said was I don't want to see her anymore. Oh she did say she'll just have to go to the after hours clinic. She knows I hate going out there, we have talked about it before!! I am now HUNTING A NEW DR!!!
By LKim November 9, 2008 3:00pm
117
Phone calls. I think it is the height of rudeness, in general, when you are in the company of others to take a call, mobile or otherwise. In terms of a Doctor, it is completly unprofessional. My GP takes calls almost every visit and it infuriates me. Once he was talking about a patient I actually knew from a long time ago (small town). Doctors pay receptionists for a reason- use them Dox! I get that you are a doctor but if it is that much of an emergeny they call an ambulance.
By chunkychick November 6, 2008 7:10pm
116
Snapped at my GP that there was no point in him extending my life it he was to then waste it by having me wait 45 mins in his waiting room. That's Ribavirin rage for you.
By Edward0 November 4, 2008 11:28am
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My doctors have never seen anything like my case, lately, to any question I ask, I get a shoulder shrug and an "Iono" kind of response. It's really getting irritating. Plus, my docs also "told" me what I had (they said I had an eating disorder-when really I had SMA syndrome) and tried to put me in the psych ward. They have screwed up too many times to count. I'm 18 and they STILL talk over my head to my parents and have a look of astonishment when I ask a question. Plus, even though I tell them that a specific drug therapy hasn't worked in the past, I get a "well, let's try it again" or "let's try a drug similar but not the same". Whatever. This is getting too long!
By Irishdancer216 November 4, 2008 8:58am
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The worst experiences I've had with doctors is when they don't listen. I consider myself a relatively intelligent person and I like to be aware of what's going on with my health. I've had neurological issues since I was 12, so I know a bit about it.
I was hit in the head and I started having symptoms of seizures. I've been tested for seizures since I was young, and it's always been negative, but I knew about several types. Though I couldn't go to the doctor and say, I'm having this type of seizure, I was able to say, I am having these symptoms and I think they are seizures. My doctor took one look at me and diagnosed me with panic attacks. NO TESTS. Apparently, your eyes can't roll back into your head while your conscious (now, I've found out that my eyes have rolled back into my head a number of times -- or at least looked like it to the casual observer. And I am conscious. Just without awareness). She prescribed Paxil, sent me on my way. I talked to another doctor who actually LISTENED to what I was saying, sent me to the hospital for a video EEG and, guess what? New onset seizures, likely the result of a head trauma.
I know there are hypochondriacs and I may even be somewhat so, at least when it comes to weird new head symptoms following a hit to the head. But I would at least like them to be checked out. I pay for insurance and my insurance pays Dr. X not for the lovely conversation or the prescriptions (which I still have to help pay for), but for medical services. Advice. Consultation. PROPER diagnosis. You know, the things a good doctor is supposed to do.
By sillydreamer October 30, 2008 6:18pm
113
notice on the wall says if your 10 minuts late you'll have to resucdle but I'm expected to wait as long a 2 hours and not conplain.
By khorsley October 27, 2008 8:47pm
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As for the wait thing, it is usually a patient who is a walk-in (but they do schedule a certain percentage of appts just devoted to walk in's), but mostly it is because when a patient who is scheduled for their ten minute chk, goes in with about 10 other complaints besides, which the doctor, if they are a good one, will also address, and that makes him/her run late. Plus, some of them have to do rounds @ lunch time, returns telephone calls, dictate charts in between a free moment here & there (believe it or not, doing dictation isn't something a DR is paid for & lots of DR's spend their time doing by getting up very, very early--try 5AM b4 work, after supper till 9 or 10PM @ nite or skipping lunch altogether if they don't have the luxury of doing it @ home by calling the automated telephone system @ work [if they even have that, some still may use dictaphones, which is frustrating when you have to re-do a whole tape's worth!!], and looking up your chart online via the VPN @ the hospital/clinic computer internet system if they have a very busy practice), be on-call, patients arriving late/not on time, etc. It is a very demanding job both mentally & physically; I should know because my mom is a doctor. Sometimes when I am sitting in her waiting room waiting for my own family practice doctor, I hear other patients making snarky comments & complaints about my mom & it just infuriates me!! Some of those things listed are bad, bad arriving late isn't going to help the situation. Her clinic has a 10 min rule; you arrive 10 mins late, you may or may not get seen because the doctors have to wait on YOU & so do the other patients. Everybody is talking about firing doctors, well they have the same right to fire YOU.
By valmont32677 October 24, 2008 8:52pm
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I love going to the doctor early. I can get caught up on all the magines in the waiting room.
By khorsley October 23, 2008 7:40pm
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Dr O...I try to arrive at the Doc's office about 10 or 15 mins late. That way it offsets the late time that I know his schedule is running on. The later I go in to see him, usually the sooner I get to see him. I don't why, but it works...G
By ghur4 October 22, 2008 7:47pm
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I don't mind waiting for my doc when she runs behind - I know when it's my turn she'll take the time with me, too. What makes me crazy is waiting for test results...for weeks. This isn't usually the case with my PCP - it's much more common with my specialists, and I now just request a copy of the results directly from the testing facility. HELLO DOCS...no news is NOT good news. No news is no news . They only way I know that you got the results back, reviewed them, and they're okay (or not) is if someone contacts me. If you don't want me to call the office looking for the results, don't make me wait for weeks on end for a test I know you got the results for in 24 hours. And God help you if I get abnormal results from the lab that your office filed without reviewing (or worse, that you reviewed and failed to notify me). Yep, it's happened.
By kaydi8 October 22, 2008 6:41am
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My primary care Dr. always has me waiting for 1 1/2 or more hours. I find it very annoying. He last year came up with youre on fast track that means 15min. after waiting 2hrs. Still the same charge.
By carsti October 21, 2008 8:18pm
107
You work realy hard, you cannot take time off, so now you are at the doctor, and have more than once issue to deal with. The doctor says let's make another appointment(during business hours of course) to talk about. Or the doctor sends you for some test, you will be called if something is wrong, but if not, you still have the problem, yet the doc will say that the test were Ok, he sees nothing wrong. What to do then?
By queendy October 21, 2008 5:20pm
106
I think you need to add #11. If Dr. X says,"I won't be offended if you decide to go to another doctor." Head for the hills!
By flipperclot October 19, 2008 8:16pm
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Hi Dr. Orange...I just have one more to add - If the physician or specialist isn't much interested in the dozens, if not hundredes of hours that the patient spent on doing medical journal research on their own particular medical condition(s)...Dr G.
By ghur4 October 18, 2008 7:38pm
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I am just about to change my primary care doctor because after she referred me to an endocrinologist she refuses to look at my feet....and this is with the knowledge that I've had a toe amputation. She's also very impersonal and she leaves it up to me to schedule my follow up visits. I gave her a year because I thought it could possibly take that long to get to know someone, but she has failed as far as I am concerned. I want someone who will have a real interest in me.
Sherry
My blog, http://www.thesweetdiabetic.com
By TheSweetDiabetic October 17, 2008 11:08am
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My D'x after six years with this practice, and many visits for back pain kept telling me its your weight! ok i get weight doesnt help but, I lift pts that are about 250lbs and are a full lift with no equ. to help and short staffed often no help to get. well I had enough I got angry and when I do this I cry, alot of men think its just a woman for you but with me it just tring to keep from ripping his head off!! well he asked in a ingorant tone if I would be happy if he got X-rays I said at least you would be doing something, Got home after x-rays and there was a message !! needed MRI asap, from guess who!! At one visit i told him I dont like you anymore then you like me now with that said, can you treat me with respect !!!!! he just looked at me and said yes!! then agian went back with fatguie and all over join pain told me agian my weight was the cause !! I got so tried of this sh-t from him I worked at a dr's office so i ask if the nurse there would ruin some tests and ask the(NP) to look them over and she did and i got dx'd with RA and went back to me this time out of I told you so!!!! Then he asked if I wanted to see a rheuo!!!!! dua!!!! change pcp as soon as I got home !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! got a good guy now kind and listens and my son has a disability (mental) and he really takes time with him because he has DM1 and its hard for him to understand things at times and takes his time with him and for that Iam greatfull!!!!!!
By smlngclds October 16, 2008 2:00pm