When to Ditch Your Doctor

You Have a sinking feeling about your doc.

Sometimes you can’t put your finger on it, but you just do not like your doctor. Don’t dismiss that sinking feeling. Switch.

You and your doctor don't mesh.

This one is not really a fault. It’s just that you and your doctor may have different views. You want to avoid drugs; he or she wants to write you a prescription. You want surgery, he or she is against it, and vice versa. You want to ask questions; he or she hates answering them. When you do not see eye to eye, switch.

Your physician doesn't respect your time.

If your doctor is consistently late or have you wait for more than 30 minutes before seeing you, he or she does not respect your time. Switch.

Your doctor keeps you in the dark.

A doctor should be open and thorough about why he or she recommends a certain treatment or orders a specific test, plus share all the results with you. If a doctor doesn't explain himself, or at least not to your satisfaction, in words that you can understand; or you feel what he or she is saying doesn’t make sense. Switch.

Your physician doesn't listen.

Does your doctor hear you out without interrupting?  A doctor should, by all means, listen intently to what you have to say about how you are feeling. There could be valuable clues in your sharing as to what is wrong with you that he or she could miss. If he or she cuts you off, or is writing while you are talking. Switch.

The doctor's office staff is unprofessional.

The out-front persons are the link between you and the doctor. If they blow you off – or neglect to give your message to the physician, say, about side effects of a new medication – your health could be at risk. Even if you like your doctor, a bad office staff could signal it's time to look elsewhere. Switch.

You don't feel comfortable with your doctor.

Doctors need to know intimate details you may not even share with friends or family members. If you're unable to disclose such facts, you and your doctor may not be the right match. A sense of unease about his or her decisions and recommendations, even if you can't say exactly why, is also a perfectly legitimate reason for cutting the cord. Switch.

Your (PCP) physician doesn't coordinate with other doctors.

Your primary care physician should be the quarterback of your health care team, managing each step of the medical process. That means keeping track of specialists' reports and instructions and talking with you about their recommendations. If he or she is slacking, an important piece of your care could slip through the cracks. This is your health. Switch.

Your doctor is unreachable.

A good doctor is available for follow-up questions and concerns. If it is difficult to get an appointment (especially within a reasonable time), or the doctor is not returning your calls or addressing your concerns, or rushing you. Switch.

Your physician is rude or condescending or racist or misogynistic.

If your physician has you wondering why doctors are so rude, it's time to part ways. Same goes if he or she trivializes your concerns as though they're not valid. One of the clearest signs you should move on is if he or she walks out of the room while you're still talking. If you feel your doctor is racist, he probably is—find another one. Racist doctors really exhibit the tendencies mentioned in this article to a much higher degree when the patient is African American or of color—not explaining things, not presenting other viable options, not listening, not wanting to be asked questions, over charging, etc. Switch.

Your doctor's a reluctant learner.

Make sure your doctor is continuing to learn. Medicine has made huge advances from 30, 20 or 10 years ago. If he is stuck in the dark ages. Switch.

Review what other patients have said about doctors.

You can use online tools to see how others have rated a particular doctor. ProPublica’s Vital Signs database, for example, has a section that calculates death and complication rates for surgeons performing one of eight elective procedures in Medicare between 2009 and 2013. The site rates 16,019 surgeons. That’s not quite half of the 41,190 surgeons there were in the U.S. as of May 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Healthgrades.com has more than 6.8 million published reviews and ratings of doctors by patients, says Dr. Brad Bowman, chief medical officer of the website. Consumers can use Healthgrades to search profiles of more than 1.1 million physicians, including doctors in all specialties and sub-specialties nationwide. Healthgrades asks reviewers to consider these eight criteria when reviewing their doctor: ease of scheduling appointments; office environment, including cleanliness and comfort; staff friendliness and courteousness; total wait time, including the waiting room and exam rooms; level of trust in the physician's decisions; how well the provider explains medical conditions; how well the doctor listens and answers questions; and whether the physician spends the appropriate amount of time with patients.

Your physician's waiting room is a turn-off.

Your first impression of a doctor is formed when you walk into the waiting area of his or her office. "There are many waiting room clues that reflect a physician's approach and dedication to patient care. Are the tables littered with germ-ridden and outdated magazines? Are there fake plants present?  Is it dirty?  Some positive signs to look for are free Wi-Fi, living plants, a bright, open and inclusive seating arrangement and access to water or other refreshments. Essentially, a trip to the doctor should feel more like a restorative trip to the spa and less like stint in a Petri dish. A doctor's office should reflect the work that goes on inside of it: healing." 

Lastly, but definitely the most important…you are not getting better, in some ways you may be worse!

If you have been with a doctor for years and following his or her "good" advice, and you are not getting better, it may be time to try another physician or another approach such, as alternative care options. Definitely, if you are worse than when you started with him or her, it is time for a change. And if a doctor recommends that you have a major procedure such as major surgery, or inform you that you have a major illness, be sure to get at least two other opinions. It’s imperative that you exhaust all possible remedies and get all the information you can before undergoing radical surgery or the taking of long-term dangerous medication. As in other professions, there are different levels of knowledge, skill, and awareness among professionals. Always, get more than one professional opinion. When all three opinions state and or recommend the same, only then should you begin to consider the option. If the opinions vary, understand why.