The May 2008 issue of Black Enterprise lists the nation’s preeminent doctors. They reside in various parts of the country and practice in numerous specialties, including obstetrics, gynecology, ophthalmology, dermatology, urology, cardiology, orthopedics, pediatrics, endocrinology, and plastic surgery.
But just knowing who the best doctors are is not enough. Do you make the most of those precious minutes you spend talking to a doctor? Well, you should, because effective two-way conversations between patient and physician is said to improve the overall quality of health care.
“We know that if there is better communication between doctors and patients, patients do better,” says Dr. Lisa A. Cooper, an internist at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an epidemiologist at the university’s Bloomberg School of Public Health. Cooper is one of the authors of a Johns Hopkins study of how race correlates to patient-physician communication during medical visits. The study found that doctors dominated the dialog more strongly when they saw African American patients than when they saw white patients. “It appears that black patients are less likely to ask doctors questions and to be as involved in the conversation as white patients,” Cooper says.
In a clinic, however, silence is not golden. “It’s really important that black patients realize that though doctors are experts in what they do, they—the patients—are the experts on themselves,” Cooper adds. “They have a right to speak up about their concerns. A good doctor will listen and incorporate their wishes and values into the treatment.”
Asking questions about your regimen and showing an interest in your own health is always something that will benefit the relationship, because doctors see patients as partners in their own care. To the degree that you can be a more active participant and not somebody who is just waiting to be told what to do, it makes the relationship more mutually satisfying.
To facilitate communication:
Before the doctor visit, prepare questions about your illness, treatment, medication, and tests. Write questions on paper, focusing on the most important issues.
Be honest and forthright about the main reason you are there and what you hope to get out of the visit.
Be candid and tell the truth. Sometimes it’s dangerous to withhold information or be dishonest with a doctor, as this may result in a prescription or recommendation that’s harmful for you.
Be a well-informed patient, but don’t appear to challenge the doctor’s knowledge or authority. Ask the doctor’s opinion about what you’ve researched.
Don’t pretend to agree with the physician, then not follow his or her advice after leaving. This undermines the relationship and the ability of the doctor to effectively care for you. If you don’t agree with the doctor, say so.
After the appointment, follow through on recommendations. Make appointments for tests and further visits. Observe how you’re responding to specific treatments.
Keep a medical diary for complicated illnesses.
Be courteous and do not be overly demanding, expecting special treatment from the doctor’s staff. Constantly seeking favors like being seen for a non-urgent problem when you don’t have an appointment or asking for forms or letters to be completed when you haven’t told the staff about this ahead of time is not advised.
Arrive on time. Being consistently late is inconsiderate.
When selecting a new doctor, increase the odds for good communication. Look for a physician with whom you can feel comfortable just being yourself. Pick a provider you think will care about you as a person, not judge you or treat you unfairly based on what they know or assume about you.