The doctor-patient relationship is one of the most important relationships that you will form outside your family and friends. While other professionals help you, most do not have such a deep and lasting impact on your overall physical and mental health. However, a good doctor-patient relationship is only as good as the communication between the two parties. If you feel that your relationship is off, consider how you might better communicate with your practitioner, and consider whether it is time to work with a new practitioner altogether.
Communicating with Your Doctor
A recently published study looked at over 4,000 patients and how they communicated with their doctors. Sadly, the results showed that there was significant non-disclosure of pertinent patient medical information on the part of many. Some did not share medications or supplements that they were taking while others did not tell their doctors that they had no intention of following recommendations because they disagreed with them. However, this same study followed up by showing that when patients fail to disclose pertinent medical and surgical information with their doctors, their overall health care can be seriously undermined, and their health and longevity may even be at risk.
Creating Good Expectations of Your Doctor
Of course, good communication is not up to you alone. Instead, this is a two-way street down which your doctor must also walk. You should expect that your doctor will take enough time to meet with you at each of your appointments. You should also expect that he or she will thoroughly explain what is happening and what your health care plan is and that you will be given plenty of time to discuss your concerns and goals.
Trusting Your Doctor
Once you find a doctor that you like and with whom you feel that you can openly communicate, it is vital that you learn to trust your practitioner. When you do not trust your doctor, you may fail to show up for appointments, fail to follow his or her advice and fail to tell the practitioner that you are unhappy with a specific plan.
It is particularly vital that you follow post-op instructions after any procedures that you have. For example, it is crucial to follow instructions on:
- Child care duties – You’ll need help
- Gym activities – You may not perform high intensity activities until cleared by Dr. Jeneby
- Pet care – No petting or handling of animals
- No lifting over 10 pounds for 10 days
- Taking all antibiotics as prescribed
- No smoking, vaping, smoking marijuana or using other edibles
- No Motrin, Ibuprofen or anything unless it is Tylenol
Not all doctors will mesh with your personality and your needs. Therefore, it is important to search for a doctor with whom you agree and who has the qualifications to give you the best care possible. You should feel comfortable and confident visiting the office of Thomas T. Jeneby, MD. Whether you are pursuing breast augmentation or laser treatments in San Antonio, we make sure to put an emphasis on you as the patient, working closely with you to create workable care plans that match your goals while keeping you healthy overall. Contact us today to book an appointment and get started. For more information, feel free to click here.
