Be your own champion

    Despite being a provider, when you become the patient, things become different. In my interactions with providers over the last year, I realized something that I personally could improve on in my practice.
    Because I was being seen by other providers that knew me and I also worked with, I noticed that they acted as if I knew what they were talking about. It wasn’t until I was talking to a cardiology physician assistant that he took the time to educate, show me and explain why I was being prescribed the medication I was given. He showed me images of my studies and explained step by step what I was looking at, and what he as a provider was looking for as well. This was extremely helpful to me and my wife.
    It is in times of stress and fear that your thought process becomes impaired — especially when you are given bad news regarding your health. It is no different for me than it is for you. Despite my education and experience, I still need things explained in a simple, easy to understand manner.
    As a patient, you deserve that as well, in every aspect of your care. Despite being board certified in family practice and emergency medicine, it is my job to present things to you, the patient, in a way that you can easily understand. Whether you learn by reading, hearing, looking at pictures or any combination of these options, I should keep you well informed.
    When you come in for an appointment, it is up to your provider to collect and compile all the data to formulate a potential diagnosis. What that means is based upon what you tell us and what we find on physical exam we come up with a potential diagnosis, and then we develop a plan on how we will treat you.
    Remember that as a family practice and emergency provider we treat illnesses from pregnancy and newborn, to the elderly and dying, and everything in between. What that means is that we know some things about many things. We all have our own experiences and that allows us to be better at some areas in medicine than others, but as a family practice/primary provider, my job is to figure out when you as the patient are more than I can handle and refer you to a specialist.
    So as a patient you deserve openness and honesty, you deserve to be:
1. Informed
    You should know what we know and how it pertains to you and your health, for example results of labs and imaging findings. Keep in mind I often tell my patients that if everything is normal you will not hear from me, and I will call with any abnormal results. Every provider is different on how they will advise you of any results.
    It is your responsibility as well. If you do have any questions, you might need to call and ask for someone to call you.
2. Educated
    Just as I needed things to be explained more simply, my responsibility is to educate you on your health. Whether a simple verbal explanation, or providing you with written material and images, I should provide that for you and so should your provider.
    It is, however, up to you to let us know how you prefer to learn and how you learn best.

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