Optimizing Patient Care - Consider It a Doctor or a Patient Appointment?
A doctor appointment consists of examination, evaluation and answers.
Shortly after the appointment, maybe during the ride home, you realize you forgot to ask for clarification or ask questions pertinent to your situation.
Questions remain unanswered.
Most likely you have experienced this uncomfortable nervous condition This occurs each day at every health center in the world.
The setting of a doctor appointment often creates uneasiness, anxiety and worry.
You are out of your comfort zone.
Days or week pass between scheduling the appointment and the day of the appointment.
During this waiting period worry, anxiety and thoughts the condition is worsening magnify uneasiness and emotional stress.
Thought gravitates toward negativity and a poor diagnosis.
No wonder blood pressure readings are higher when in the doctor's office.
Too often we forget to ask all questions no matter our preparedness.
Answers to questions may seem confusing or the doctor or nurse says this and we hear that.
The doctor or nurse says, "We don't see this too often" and we hear; oh great, something this rare cannot be good.
Another example, "The tests show you have cancer" and we hear I'm dying.
This dilemma of; "They Say - We Hear", seems one of the certainties throughout life.
Numerous seminars have tried to tackle this dilemma.
However, numerous personal characteristics perpetuate this communication dilemma.
Doctor offices share a tendency to appear emotionally sterile.
Colors with favorable psychological encouragement along with pictures of positivity and comfortable chairs could do much to soften patient anxiety.
Leaving the door open while waiting would help to with feelings of isolation, secrecy and for some to ease a sense of claustrophobia.
Medical terminology is a language all its own.
Rosetta Stone® can't help to learn the foreign language of medical terminology.
For example, sepsis sounds like a holding tank buried in the back yard for waste.
Not even close, instead sepsis is the presence of bacteria, other infectious organisms, or toxins created by infectious organisms in the bloodstream with spread throughout the body (1).
The doctor says you have atrophy.
Naturally we extend our hands in hopes to receive a trophy.
No-no-no, in this language atrophy is wasting away or diminution.
Muscle atrophy is a decrease in muscle mass, often due to extended immobility (2).
This represents 2 examples from thousands of medical terms.
Courses exist to become a Medical Terminologist.
So how can we expect to understand all the medical terminology spoken during the appointment? If something said is not understood, ask for clarification in simple terms.
Appointments fill a doctor's day leaving little if any time for lunch.
Medical school's inordinate demand on time appears to acquaint students to a doctor's busy schedule.
Doctors do their best to help ease anxiety and explain the cause and effect of the current condition.
However, due to the constricting schedule of a filled day, and more so today financial pressures to see more patients.
Realize that doctors have your best interest in mind and have a cautionary approach to best diagnose and treat your case.
The time before a doctor is more precious than ever.
Doctor's time constraints make patient preparation more important than ever to be certain to get answers to all questions and concerns.
Consider the appointment as a "Patient Appointment" in place of a doctor's appointment.
Some people might discount this idea as an issue of nomenclature.
From the patient's perspective this suggest and instills pursuing ownership of the appointment for a sense of patient management further encouraging customized care.
You are the one with the condition requiring attention for wellness and well-being.
As long as you have questions the doctor will remain in the examination room.
Knowing this, use a notebook, computer or paper, with prepared questions pertinent to your condition.
Review the questions and add more.
A well thought out comprehensive list seems far better than an abbreviated hurried list.
As long as the questions are pertinent to your case the doctor will remain in the room to give answers instead of regretfully saying after the appointment, I forgot to ask.
Meticulous preparation helps to soften anxiety and the worrisome emotional state accompanying appointments.
We feel a sense of control offering confidence and comfort to converse intelligently with the doctor, to better understand, and ask for clarification if needed.
Some patients find it helpful to bring a family member or friend to doctor visits as a checks and balance that notes are taken and all communication is understood.
Thinking of time before the doctor as a "Patient Appointment" assists to improve preparation to augment patient wellness in addition to optimizing patient/doctor communication and relationship leading to optimal customized care.
Reference: (1) sepsis and (2) atrophy definitions 30 Oct, 2014 online MedicineNet.
com dictionary.
Shortly after the appointment, maybe during the ride home, you realize you forgot to ask for clarification or ask questions pertinent to your situation.
Questions remain unanswered.
Most likely you have experienced this uncomfortable nervous condition This occurs each day at every health center in the world.
The setting of a doctor appointment often creates uneasiness, anxiety and worry.
You are out of your comfort zone.
Days or week pass between scheduling the appointment and the day of the appointment.
During this waiting period worry, anxiety and thoughts the condition is worsening magnify uneasiness and emotional stress.
Thought gravitates toward negativity and a poor diagnosis.
No wonder blood pressure readings are higher when in the doctor's office.
Too often we forget to ask all questions no matter our preparedness.
Answers to questions may seem confusing or the doctor or nurse says this and we hear that.
The doctor or nurse says, "We don't see this too often" and we hear; oh great, something this rare cannot be good.
Another example, "The tests show you have cancer" and we hear I'm dying.
This dilemma of; "They Say - We Hear", seems one of the certainties throughout life.
Numerous seminars have tried to tackle this dilemma.
However, numerous personal characteristics perpetuate this communication dilemma.
Doctor offices share a tendency to appear emotionally sterile.
Colors with favorable psychological encouragement along with pictures of positivity and comfortable chairs could do much to soften patient anxiety.
Leaving the door open while waiting would help to with feelings of isolation, secrecy and for some to ease a sense of claustrophobia.
Medical terminology is a language all its own.
Rosetta Stone® can't help to learn the foreign language of medical terminology.
For example, sepsis sounds like a holding tank buried in the back yard for waste.
Not even close, instead sepsis is the presence of bacteria, other infectious organisms, or toxins created by infectious organisms in the bloodstream with spread throughout the body (1).
The doctor says you have atrophy.
Naturally we extend our hands in hopes to receive a trophy.
No-no-no, in this language atrophy is wasting away or diminution.
Muscle atrophy is a decrease in muscle mass, often due to extended immobility (2).
This represents 2 examples from thousands of medical terms.
Courses exist to become a Medical Terminologist.
So how can we expect to understand all the medical terminology spoken during the appointment? If something said is not understood, ask for clarification in simple terms.
Appointments fill a doctor's day leaving little if any time for lunch.
Medical school's inordinate demand on time appears to acquaint students to a doctor's busy schedule.
Doctors do their best to help ease anxiety and explain the cause and effect of the current condition.
However, due to the constricting schedule of a filled day, and more so today financial pressures to see more patients.
Realize that doctors have your best interest in mind and have a cautionary approach to best diagnose and treat your case.
The time before a doctor is more precious than ever.
Doctor's time constraints make patient preparation more important than ever to be certain to get answers to all questions and concerns.
Consider the appointment as a "Patient Appointment" in place of a doctor's appointment.
Some people might discount this idea as an issue of nomenclature.
From the patient's perspective this suggest and instills pursuing ownership of the appointment for a sense of patient management further encouraging customized care.
You are the one with the condition requiring attention for wellness and well-being.
As long as you have questions the doctor will remain in the examination room.
Knowing this, use a notebook, computer or paper, with prepared questions pertinent to your condition.
Review the questions and add more.
A well thought out comprehensive list seems far better than an abbreviated hurried list.
As long as the questions are pertinent to your case the doctor will remain in the room to give answers instead of regretfully saying after the appointment, I forgot to ask.
Meticulous preparation helps to soften anxiety and the worrisome emotional state accompanying appointments.
We feel a sense of control offering confidence and comfort to converse intelligently with the doctor, to better understand, and ask for clarification if needed.
Some patients find it helpful to bring a family member or friend to doctor visits as a checks and balance that notes are taken and all communication is understood.
Thinking of time before the doctor as a "Patient Appointment" assists to improve preparation to augment patient wellness in addition to optimizing patient/doctor communication and relationship leading to optimal customized care.
Reference: (1) sepsis and (2) atrophy definitions 30 Oct, 2014 online MedicineNet.
com dictionary.
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