There is nothing as important as your health. So long as you have your health, anything is possible. Although there are some things that are out of our control when it comes to our health, there is a lot that is in our control. One thing that we can control is choosing the doctor who will help us with our health. Choosing the right doctor to take care of you should be one of the most important, and well-thought-out decisions you make.
Your doctor is; in a sense, like the auto-mechanic of your car. An auto-mechanic takes care of your car, and many times, you build a relationship with the mechanic so that you trust them, and they know you well. More importantly, they know your car well. The same should be with your physician. Your physician should know you, and your body well.
You and your physician should be on the same page about your health – a team. You should build a good relationship with your physician so that you trust him, and he knows and understands you and your body well; what you are looking for, what you need, and what your concerns are.
Building a good relationship with your physician starts with personality. Do your personalities mesh? If you don’t get along with your physician, or you don’t care for his/her personality, this can create conflict.
Not all physicians are the same. Some are more chatty and personable, while others may not be as talkative, open, or overly friendly. You may choose a physician who is more of the type to get right to the point with your health issues and not want to build any type of relationship other than taking care of your healthcare needs. This type of physician may take the approach that your healthcare is all business, and may have the mentality that he is not there to be “friends,” but rather, takes a more “business” approach to your healthcare. If this bothers you, you may want to find a physician who you feel like is your friend as well as physician.
You may visit a physician once and get a bad vibe right away. It may take several visits before you realize that he is not the one you want to see. You should also consider things such as:
What type of health issues are you having? Is he a physician that you will just need periodically, or is this a doctor you will see, or need to see often? Are there other physicians in your area that are in his field of medicine for you to choose from?
How important is it to you that your physician has the type of personality you get along with? If it is a big issue, you may find it an issue that is hard to overlook.
Talking to others and getting personal recommendations to physicians whom they like and trust, is one way of finding a good physician. There are websites you can look at to get reviews of physicians, as well as talking to the office manager to get their perspective on what type of physician he is. She can maybe shed some light on the way he practices and how he is with his patients.
The more you know ahead of time, the better the chance you will be prepared when you meet him. Asking questions and finding out about the physician will help to eliminate any surprises regarding personality, behavior, mannerisms, and his professionalism. And the more you know ahead of time, the more at ease you may feel because you are informed.