Finding The Right Provider
This is a post written by a friend of RMA about her experiences with Endometriosis and what she did to deal with the chronic pain caused by it. She hopes that sharing her story will help answer questions that others with similar issues may have.
I have dealt with some really bad providers but I have also had some really good providers over the years while on my quest to determine why I was sick. During my quest, I discovered that I had endometriosis and had a long road ahead including multiple treatments from many different providers. So what makes a good provider?
1) Does the provider listen? — If the provider listens to you and attentive to your needs, they are more likely to treat your condition with care. Even though a provider should be the expert in their field, many of them may make snap judgments about your condition despite your explanation of symptoms and issues. Carefully and descriptively share your side of the story and make sure your provider pays very close attention.
2) Does the provider always seem in a rush? —This is another important factor to consider when choosing a provider. If the provider has too many patients on his schedule and doesn’t have the time to treat you properly then it might be years before you receive a proper diagnosis. Also if the provider is not available and easy to reach this can be an issue if you really need a question answered.
3) Does the provider have a passion for what they do? If the provider doesn’t love what they do, this is another sign of a problem. Most providers who have a passion for what they do seem to be excellent problem solvers who will not give up on your condition until it is properly diagnosed. Passionate providers listen and care for their patients during their care.
4) Does the provider have common sense? Providers usually have a wealth of medical knowledge, but sometimes a patient just needs a common sense solution. Unfortunately, a lot of providers rely solely on their education in a certain field but will not take into account the fact that many medical issues have similar symptoms. There is no specific category for medical issues as they can vary greatly from patient to patient.
5) Does the provider keep up to date with the newest medical advances? Since the medical world is constantly changing, it is very important for providers to attend conferences to familiarize themselves with new techniques available to treat patients. Some may even choose to go back to school to study a new field. If a provider doesn’t keep an open mind about medical advances, this can be detrimental to the health and well being of the patient.
6) Is the provider honest, trustworthy and well respected? If the provider doesn’t have any of these characteristics, then the patient’s health could be affected. If the provider isn’t well respected by his colleagues as well as other patients, this is a big warning sign to run and never look back.
Finding a provider that is right for you may be difficult and time consuming but it is extremely important to ensure you receive quality care from a respected medical professional. Don’t settle for a provider you cannot fully trust. Choose the right provider the first time to avoid wasting time and money on a misdiagnosis.
Rose Thomas writes on behalf of RMA Texas. She is a proud survivor of endometriosis and she hopes that her experiences with endometriosis will inspire other women with endometriosis to not give up hope.
