Here’s an uncomfortable truth that every family should be aware of:
You shouldn’t assume your doctor is providing you with optimal medical advice.
By optimal, I mean advice that is:
- Grounded in the most recent medical knowledge.
- Adapted to your preferences and values.
- Made after helping you consider the various options, along with their risks and benefits.
Doctors are generally trying their best. But it’s hard for a single person to keep up with all the latest knowledge, plus doctors tend to get into practice habits that aren’t necessarily in your best interest.
Are You Regularly Informed of Non-Drug Treatment Options?
Case in point: Although guidelines suggest that mild-to-moderate depression can initially be treated by either psychotherapy or by medication — because they are generally equally effective — many seniors are not informed of this. Instead, the tendency is usually for doctors to dash off a prescription.
Fortunately, it is possible to work around this problem in healthcare, so that you can get healthcare that better fits your older relative’s needs.
To help people recognize and address this common issue, I’ve written an article for NextAvenue.org:
“How to Get the Best Care from Your Doctor“
4 Steps You Can Take to Get Better Health Care
In this NextAvenue article, I explain in detail what an optimal medical recommendation should look like.
Then I share four steps you can take, to get better care from your doctors:
- Choose your doctors carefully.
- Do your homework, when it comes to health conditions and treatment options.
- Ask about alternatives.
- Consider a second opinion.
To get the tips in detail, read the full story at NextAvenue.org.
Remember: the more you learn about how healthcare works, the better you’ll be at getting what you need from the medical system.
By learning to get the right healthcare, and avoid the wrong healthcare, you’ll help your older loved one have better health, wellbeing, and quality of life.
Callum Palmer says
There really is a lot that you have to to make sure that you are getting the best advice possible from your doctors. I particularly like that the article brings up the importance of choosing your doctor carefully. After all, if you want to make sure you get the best advice you have to have a doctor that is actually invested in your health.
Michael Robinson says
I wanted to thank you again for all the information listed here on how to get more medical advice from your doctors. One thing that you mentioned that stuck with me was that the more you learn about health care, the better you will be at getting what you need from the medical system. Being a college student, it is time for me to do my research and figure out what kind of health care options are available to me. Thanks again!
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
It’s always a good idea to become more knowledgeable about one’s health.
Roger Middleton says
I liked that you had mentioned that in order to get the best care it can be important to do your homework and ask about alternatives to treatments that they mention. My mother has been getting pretty sick but refuses to get the care she needs for some reason. We’ll have to start looking around for a health clinic so that she can get her diagnoses, but we’ll be sure to do our homework before any decisions are made.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Sorry to hear your mom has been reluctant to get care. You might find some helpful suggestions in this article
4 Things to Do When an Older Person Resists Help
Kyle Wayne says
I like that you mention being careful about what doctor you choose. My brother is looking to get some adult medicine for his wife but needs someone reliable. I’ll be sure to talk to him about being careful about which doctor to choose.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Yes, if you can choose, it’s important to try to find a clinician who is a good fit for you. Good luck!
Zachary Tomlinson says
Thanks for sharing! It’s awesome how you talked about asking a doctor about different options along with their risks and benefits. I’m going to the neurologist’s appointment this week and I’ll definitely consider these recommendations.
Finn Stewart says
Thanks for the tips about choosing and getting medical advice. I agree that it is so important to choose and research doctors carefully. My wife has an auto-immune disease and I want her to be as healthy as possible. A good doctor can be someone to confide in and fell safe with. I’ll be sure we research extensively when choosing a doctor.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Yes, you’ll want to choose a good doctor. But it will also help if your wife learns to research her auto-immune condition. It might help for her to find an online community of other people with her condition. Good luck!
Larry Weaver says
My mom might be getting some prescriptions after being in the hospital with an intensivist and family doctor. I didn’t know that prescriptions could be written off so quickly before considering either psychotherapy or by medication like you pointed out. It might be a good idea to go ahead and ask if there are any options for non-drug treating options before she receives her prescription.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Yes, it is always a good idea to ask what non-drug treatments might be available.
Hospital doctors do write a lot of prescriptions. Those may or may not be the best for a patient long-term, so it’s always good to discuss the hospitalist’s prescriptions with one’s usual primary care provider. Often hospitalists have not discussed their recommendations with the PCP, or may not be fully informed about a person’s medical history and treatment preferences.
Chris Winters says
Leslie, I can definitely see why you would want to find a doctor who grounds their advice in medical knowledge. I have been feeling very weak and tired for weeks and I’m starting to get concerned. I definitely think that I should look for a clinic that could help me to find a professional that could give me the proper treatments.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Yes, if you’ve been feeling weak and tired for weeks, I would certainly recommend seeing a health professional for further evaluation. Good luck.
Ivy Baker says
My grandmother is getting pretty old and I want to make sure she is getting the best care. So, I liked that you talked about asking about other treatment options. My grandmother has a sensitive stomach and I would want to know if there is another type of medication for her to use if she has stomach issue with the first treatment option.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Yes, it’s always important to ask the doctor to describe other ways a problem might be treated.
Harry Fox says
This article was very informative, thank you for SHARING your knowledge