This is the kind of question that makes many patients VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. It is often answered based on “LIKEABILITY“ rather than actual “PERFORMANCE.“ It is a question, none the less, we must begin to face with better honesty and objectivity if we want to see our country overcome these abysmal statistics!
We’ve convinced ourselves we have the best doctors and health care system in the world.
What tangible evidence do we use to make these claims?
1. Diagnosis?
This is a good criteria to use because you want a doctor to ACCURATELY determine a health problem to provide the best type of treatment. According to a study put out by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA):
“A total of 118 physicians with broad geographical representation within the United States correctly diagnosed 55.3% of the easier and 5.8% of more difficult cases.”
(REFERENCE: Physicians’ Diagnostic Accuracy, Confidence, and Resource Requests)
A correct diagnosis 55.3% of the time on EASIER conditions is slightly better than the odds of flipping a coin. 5.8% on DIFFICULT conditions is a percentage that should cause us to seriously challenge this blind faith we bestow on our doctors.
2. Thorough Examination?
A traditional exam should include:
(1) VITALS (height and weight, blood pressure, resting pulse, temperature, respiration rate)
(2) CONSULTATION (to discuss personal history, family history, discussion of symptoms)
(3) PHYSICAL EXAM
(4) LAB WORK and/or DIAGNOSTIC TESTING (if indicated by the exam)
(5) REPORT OF FINDINGS (to reveal doctors findings and recommendations INCLUDING the PATIENT’S ROLE in CORRECTING the issue or problem to prevent it from becoming a recurring/chronic condition.
Does your doctor provide a thorough examination? In addition to receiving a script for a prescription, what DETAILED explanations are you provided to overcome the problem/condition? Is the GOAL to maintain the disease or repair it? Does your doctor look at YOU or your LAB NUMBERS to determine whether you’re healthy?
These are important questions because the answers likely explain the INFERIOR quality of health a large portion of our population faces.
3. FOLLOW UP AND RESULTS?
Does your doctor schedule a follow up office visit to make certain you understand and comply with the entire treatment plan (not just the prescription part!) Does your doctor clearly explain that medication (for the most part) is NOT INTENDED FOR LIFETIME USE? It is designed to be used TEMPORARILY to stabilize an imbalance.
The only thing long term medication use (in and of itself) has resulted in is the United States achieving:
-
60th in life expectancy
-
1st in Cancer
-
57th in infant mortality
-
1st in Obesity
-
1 in 3 becoming Diabetic
-
1 in 45 children having Austism
We have reached a point where we must begin to accept our HARD WORKING, WELL EDUCATED, WELL INTENTIONED, LIKEABLE PHYSICIANS:
AREN’T GETTING THE JOB DONE!
To change these atrocious statistics, our doctors can’t keep “managing patients” by doing
MORE OF THE SAME THING!
.
There is a major difference between PROVIDING AN ANSWER and PROVIDING A SOLUTION. Our medical doctors have provided the “PILL” as an ANSWER to cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, depression, obesity, etc…, but have clearly FAILED at providing a SOLUTION to our downward spiraling diminishing health.
Now that you have a tangible outline to use to evaluate and judge your doctor’s performance, ask yourself, “is Dr. _______________ (fill in the blank) providing me with:
“ANSWERS” or “REAL SOLUTIONS.”
.
If your doctor’s “ANSWERS” supply you with a lifelong assortment of various prescriptions, which of the STATISTICS do you believe he or she will help you add your name to?
All About Healthy Choices 
My nephew, an endocrinologist, said to me once that most patients expect a goody bag of prescribed pills after each visit otherwise they think the doctor incompetent . This said, if the patient is not a willing participant in their health and wellness, a
physician can do little to help.
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I completely agree with you.
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Pretty good analysis. I have a couple of comments. First, I dont think there is any other place in the world where the doctor (and everyone else, I suppose) is under such a great pressure (terror?) from the insurance companies and lawyers. In some ways, a doctor providing a quick answer is like the CEO of a company meeting Wall Street ‘expectations’ for the quarter as compared to a solution provider who ensures the long term health of the company/patient.
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Absolutely true. Responsibility, however, falls on the patient as well.
In the investment world, an advisor provides OPTIONS (meaning choices; not literally options) for the investor to choose from. If the investor ops out of the choices, the advisor can’t be blamed for an outcome that would have been different in the investor followed the advice.
Unfortunately, many doctors do NOT offer multiple OPTIONS. They commonly write a script as the “solution.” This is (in my opinion) an arrogant and less than meaningful approach to restoring a patient’s health. If doctors INSISTED on patient lifestyle changes as part of the treatment recommendations and explained the pharmaceutical option without these lifestyle changes would NOT FIX their impaired health conditions, the outcome would closely correlate with the investment example above.
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I finally have an endochrinologist to treat my diabetes. My pcp didn’t send me, the nurse practitioner did. I think the NP work harder to treat their patients.
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Hopefully this doctor develops a good working relationship with you. When the patient and doctor work TOGETHER and EACH accepts responsibility for change to occur, the results are usually far superior.
Wishing the two of you a successful journey.
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Thank you. So far so good, and my friend is happy with him. He listens and actually works on fixing things and not just dismiss it as annoying.
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So after more than 15 years I have changed doctors. I took your advice from a previous post about what to look for and ask. I confess I was not brave enough to interview several before picking one. I apparently lucked out because my first appointment with her was similar to what you describe in your post. She sent me my lab work and asked that I send her my BP readings from home.
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Sounds like you may have found a better match to fit your needs. Congratulations. If a recommendation is suggested that you aren’t quite comfortable with and would like another opinion, you are more than welcome to contact me.
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Thank you!
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Hi Doc, wow the stats are shocking, and I can’t tell over again how most people out here ‘envy’ you guys and your health + insurance system and etc etc.
Let me share two stories witnessed personally – an african perspective sort of:
1) Our foundation recently organized a medicam mission to the village and one of the patients told me he was disappointed he wasn’t prescribed medication … see how belief in medications has gotten even into the remotest parts of Africa?
2) This morning I took my son to see a doctor because he was running a very high temperature and his head was aching. This young doctor spent more time looking at the papers and hospital book overall than he did my son. He then said he’ll get him hospitalized and prescribe a series of tests. I found that so haughty I started asking questions and wanted to know what the tests were all about and the various medications he was already prescribing. I asked him what he thought could have caused the high temperature and what we could do to improve his reaction to the meds he’ll take and etc etc… Doctor got angry and told me I wasn’t obliged to come there in the first place. While talking, he had already done a malaria rapid test and this was positive. To cut this short, I brought my boy back home arguing down to two drugs and also made him onion and garlic soup, cooked beets and other legumes in a saute and ginger tea – am also researching other natural rememdies now, I have concluded long ago that some doctors are not good and I am intitiled to seek 2,3,4 and even 5th opinions if I am not convinced.
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Doctor’s egos get bruised easily because of their insecurities. If a Dr. was confident, they would gladly answer your questions and concerns. It would also show the doctor he or she has an ACTIVE “partner” in managing the patient. A doctor’s response can sometimes indicate the quality of care they offer.
Love your willingness to become part of the SOLUTION!
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Do you think any of this has to do with doctors not knowing their patients? I’m not necessarily saying knowing them as friends or neighbors, but taking the time to know them as a patient – i.e., spending time with them while in the office, reviewing the charts/test results before getting into the room (as opposed to looking at them as they walk in, in a rush), talking to them about their life outside of the office, etc.
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I’m sure there are certainly time limitations. Their business model, however, is focused on pharmaceutical compliance. There education EXCLUDES nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, etc… A “for profit business” is NOT going to focus on these essential needs when they don’t generate revenue.
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The statistics you listed are very sobering, indeed. Thank you for another educated lesson. Hugs & Blessings!
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…. an ongoing continuing pleasure to share TRUTHS to help people discover (for themselves) a better path to healthier and happier living….
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didn’t realize the statistics were that alarming….another great post….on to Facebook to educate my friends….thanks
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If your Facebook friends are willing to identify themselves by commenting on my blog site, I will gladly discuss these issues with them to answer any questions or clarify any concerns.
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Ok I will add that to the next post I add to Facebook….I get lots of comments on your post and likes ….
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[…] HOW GOOD IS MY DOCTOR? […]
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Thank you for the share on the 3 posts. You know how much I appreciate your help! 🙂
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I had a Dr once try and find a safe medication for me by googling it! I was pretty shocked. She is an excellent Dr but I was I think a hard patient. I am allergic to penaselin, sulphur and cephalosporin , (please excuse my spelling ) and I happened to be pregnant too then. So the poor Dr battled to help me due to my allergies .
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There are so many alternative options to pharmaceutical drugs. Medical doctors are not trained in these other efficacious methods. Many provide the body the support necessary to help restore better function relieving symptoms in the process.
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