Your doctor plays a vital role in your health and wellness. While many medical professionals make it a point to provide quality care, listen to patient concerns, and take a proactive approach towards wellness, others fall short of these basic standards.
When this occurs, your chance of experiencing a mistake is much higher. Some medical mistakes cause serious illness or injury, or even result in lifelong disability. U.S. News & World Report recommends finding another doctor if you notice any of the following signs.
Poor communication
When prescribing treatments or medications, your doctor should explain their thought process in a way you can comprehend. Just because medical concepts are complex does not mean they should be communicated in that way. The more information you have about your health and methods used to maintain it, the less likely it is you will be harmed by a medical mistake or error.
Discomfort discussing medical issues
Medical problems can sometimes be embarrassing or uncomfortable to talk about. If you do not feel at ease with your current doctor, you are unlikely to bring up problems of an embarrassing nature. A good doctor will go above and beyond to make a patient feel at ease, and provide medical recommendations and therapies without judgment.
Difficult follow-up
It is common to have questions about medication regimens or surgical aftercare. In fact, most doctors encourage their patients to reach out with problems, so they are sufficiently addressed. If you must wait days or even weeks for a reply, your well-being will be negatively affected.
Neglected waiting room
You can tell a lot about a health clinic or doctor’s office by the condition of the waiting room. The area should be neat and well-kept. It should also be cleaned and sanitized on a daily basis to prevent patients from coming into contact with germs and bacteria. If staff is unable to keep up with these simple tasks, it does not bode well for the quality of the medical care you will receive.
The above signs are not always indicative of poor treatment. However, if you notice a number of signs and feel uncomfortable with the quality of care you are receiving, it is best to seek the assistance of another doctor.
