What do you look for in your health care providers?

[Lori]

When you are looking for a doctor, what are important things you look for?

I've realized that a big reason why I'm so hesitant to TTC is that I've been very unhappy with the health care providers I've encountered in Detroit. Probably the most important thing to me in any health care provider is that they treat me like an intelligent human being who is capable of making informed decisions and is an active agent in my own health care. In Ann Arbor, that was no problem. I mostly dealt with the U-M medical system, and I'm assuming they were expecting to deal with intelligent people who wanted to know what going on and make informed decisions, so that was never an issue.

I've had the opposite experience here. I've been to a few different doctors, and they've all been condescending. I went in to one doctor with strep throat, only to be asked, when I told him my throat hurt and was looking pretty awful, "Well how do you know what a throat should look like?" in the most condescending way possible. Gee, I don't know. Maybe because I've looked in my own mouth before and know that oozing pustules aren't supposed to be there? I've been treated like I was seriously putting the doctors and nurses out by wondering what exactly they were prescribing me, or asking what I would consider the most basic questions about the care I was being given. We switched Thomas because of that, and so far I'm pretty happy with his doctor, but I haven't found anyone for me. It's bad enough dealing with the attitude for routine care, I definitely would not make it through prenatal care with a doctor like the ones I've been to.

[Christine]

It's most important to me that the doctor listens to MY assessment and goes from there. I can't stand it when a doctor ignores what the parent tells them, when they know the child's behavior the best. I also want a doctor who medicates as a last resort and, when they do, they start with the path of least resistance. I don't want a doctor that sees a little blockage in the ear and prescribes the heaviest antibiotic, you know?

[malcontent]

My current doctor is great. She spends a long time taking my history at each visit and discussing anything that is troubling me. She was extremely supportive of breastfeeding, even though I nursed for 2 1/2 years. Her exam rooms are large and comfortable. She has high, well-padded exam tables, and a rocking chair for the chatting part of the visit. She's prompt for every appointment, but spends the full scheduled time with me instead of acting harried and superior.

She's very open to alternative points of view, but prescribes traditional medications when necessary. She trusts me to make the best decisions for my own health and talks to me as if I am an adult, not a child in her charge.

It took me years to find such a doctor. She was actually recommended by my doula.

[Beka]

we don't get a choice here which is why i largely avoid going to the doctor- we see which ever doctor is assigned to our neighbourhood, it can take weeks to get to see a doctor here when you call for an appt. When pregnant i get assigned a midwife, if i really hate them i can ask to have them changed but unless i have good grounds for that it's usually a case of better the devil you know but i have been lucky and had 2 lovely mw's for every pg since Chase.

[ColleenC]

Here the main thing you look for is one that is actually taking new patients. It's near impossible to find one. It also takes a long time to get an appt. I booked my yearly exam back in DEC and it's not until May. But with the kids ped. he is so wonderful and was assigned to us when Cris was born and I switched Megan over. If its an emergency we can get in that day.

My doctor is great and I got to go to her because I went through her for my pregnancy and got to stay on(she doesn't accept new patients)and Steve doesn't have a dr.

[Lori]

Colleen, I've been having that problem here. It's pretty easy to find a doctor who is taking patients, but it's difficult to find a good one who is.

[giffy]

I think a doctor who is able to judge what level to pitch to is invaluable! I am the daughter of two doctors, and the sister of one, so I do know a little about my body and how it works. Also, I am pretty good at finding out about stuff, so I love that most of the doctors in the practice we attend, don't assume I know nothing and don't talk to me in words of one syllable. To me, this ability means that they actually listen to me.