A Hearty Life

Dear Doctor #9: On or Off a Pedestal?

by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD on November 14th, 2006

Today’s Dear Doctor letter comes from Kelly Saunders of Thrifty Mommy who works with doctors every day in the catheterization lab.

Dear Doctor,

Growing up, my family always put doctors on a pedestal. You know, the whole hero syndrome. Whatever the doctor says, goes. I believed that for years. You go to school for years to become experts on our bodies so why shouldn’t we treat you differently? We would never dream of questioning anything you say and always do what you tell us. After all, if someone else makes $1million+/yr, we usually treat them slightly different as they hold some sort of prestige in society.

I work with cardiologists all week long in the cath lab at my local hospital. They can be right on target one day and up for 48 hrs the next. They are human just like the rest of us. I have a whole new respect for them now. Recently, one of my favorites made a statement to me that encourages me that there are STILL good guys practicing medicine.

I was talking to him about a family member not being comfortable with something their doctor said. My doctor said that they should get a second opinion. I asked him if that would have offended him. He said that if a physician gets offended when you sugggest getting a second opinion, then you don’t want that physician anyway. My doctor would welcome a second opinion anytime as this would hopefully just confirm that his diagnosis was correct.

This got me to thinking. We, as a society, don’t even want a second opinion from another hair stylist much less offend our doctor with one. Maybe we should get second opinions when we don’t feel exactly comfortable with our first doctor. Just keep in mind “if they get offended, you don’t want them anyway!”

Now that is the mark of a great physician if you ask me.

Kelly

I agree. Never be afraid to do something to improve the health care you deserve.

Do you have a Dear Doctor letter to share? Email me!

Technorati Tags: second opinion, doctors, healthcare, health care, heart, heart disease, diseases, illness, health

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