Medical Notes

          During the past two years I have spent more time with the medical profession than I ever expected.  I have seen countless doctors, had many tests and three major surgeries.  And these experiences have made me take much more interest in the medical field that I would have expected.
          These experiences perked my interest enough to want to attend a free workshop on finding one's way through the medical maze. This was offered through our financial advisor.  Unlike some workshops, this one was very interesting.
          Among other things, the speaker discussed four major changes that are now available in how some doctors may treat you.  One is concierge care where you hire a doctor for your individual care.  Another aspect of this is Direct Primary Care where you pay a monthly fee to a doctor and then everything you need is covered.  In both cases doctors would limit the number of patients they sell contracts to so they can spend more time with each client.  He also discussed Employee Based Care where  you need to use the company's clinic.  Then there is Virtual Care which relies heavily on technology.
        He felt the future would also be in things like E-Care, Telehealth and E-Consults where internet visits and contacts would take the place of office visits.  Some of these services are now available with sites where you can pay for an online consult.  Many family doctors are still willing to reply to some concerns, free of charge, to their patients by email through their portal.  We have done this successfully several times and avoided office visits.  He predicted more home monitoring which is now possible for things like blood pressure, heart monitors and pacemaker checks.  Wearable technology, such as fitbits, will become more common.  The future should be very interesting.
          He also suggested five things that patients should do to improve their visits to doctors.  He noted that these are important because the doctor generally has just 10 - 15 minutes to visit with you and make a diagnosis.  If  the doctor spends more time than this, then other patients need to wait or else his work load and pay will be reduced.
          (1)  Come with a written list of 3 or 4 questions.  These may be from your symptoms, test results, previous visits or whatever.  But this preparation will make better use of the doctor's time.  We generally do this.
          (2)  Come with a list of your symptoms in priority order.  He said one of the things that doctors dread are the "open door" symptoms.  He means that when the patient is ready to leave and the room door is open, the patient suddenly remembers things he hasn't told the doctor.
          (3)   Honesty is the best policy.  Many patients are fearful of sharing all of their concerns because they either are embarrassed or are fearful of what might be found.  He reminded us that doctor's have heard all of these things before, so share what is bothering you.  He said that men are the most guilty of not sharing everything.
          (4)   Have an extra set of ears when you visit.  It is easy to forget things the doctor recommends, especially if something major is shared and you are nervous or upset.  Having somebody else with you can help you recall details after you leave. If the extra set is your spouse, he or she may be able to share something you've forgotten. My wife and I almost always go together.  I know that is not true with some of our friends.
          (5)    Organize your results.  Today with the required visit summaries and portals, it is possible to collect all your reports including test results.  My wife and I each have a large notebook.  In it we keep our list of meds, our complete list of medical tests, copies of test results and copies of key visit summaries.  These have been very useful when doctors question us about previous tests and results. And since many doctors have different portals (we are on five), they might not have all our results from other doctors.  We can usually answer their questions and find the results before even they can on their computer.  This not only saves time but makes sure that the doctor has all the information that is pertinent.  Several doctors have commended us for doing this.  And it is your life and you should want to be sure that everything is considered properly, especially when seeing multiple doctors.
          The medical field is going through some very challenging times and I believe it is essential for us to try and follow the trends and changes in order for us to get the best care that we can.  We need to take care of ourselves.  If we aren't getting the help or the service that we need, we need to speak up.  We need to be our own advocate, otherwise we may become just a number in the system.