“Who’s that?” the man asks the angel.
“Oh, him,” replies the angel. “That’s God. He thinks he’s a doctor!”
We’ll pause a moment while you gather yourself (ahem). While it’s a funny story (come on – laughter is good for you!), the joke points to an age-old problem of doctors taking an omniscient approach to patient care. Their word is passed down from the mountain top, and woe be the mere mortals who might question it.
Because of all the long, grueling hours spent in college and medical school, plus the never-ending demands of a busy medical practice, many doctors have developed a somewhat brusque attitude with patients. This can be intimidating for many people, since they don’t have a medical background and presume that they need to do what the doctor is recommending.
The latter assumption isn’t necessarily true. Remember, doctors are human beings, and often they are exploring the range of maladies that your medical condition may suggest. In an age where malpractice lawsuits are rampant and insurance is mandatory, many doctors feel it’s better to test and make sure, than guess and perhaps err.
According to a study published in the journal BMJ Quality & Safety, an estimated 12 million adults who go for outpatient medical are misdiagnosed every year. Obviously, there is plenty of room for improvement. The first step is taking a proactive role in your health. Like the old saying goes, "it doesn't hurt to ask."
For example, there may be a range of possible causes for your health issues, and some of them can be eliminated by testing. Yet not every test yields a result that leads to the best solution for the patient.
You Have To Ask Questions
Keep in mind that you are in the doctor’s office to seek assistance, not domination. You may have legitimate concerns about the side-effects of many treatments. Moreover, insurance often does not cover the entire cost of a range of treatments, which can leave you on the hook for hundreds of dollars, or even thousands, for unnecessary tests and medicines. Not to mention the inconvenience, anxiety and physical stress of the testing itself.
There are ways to make sure that you aren’t bullied or otherwise intimidated into accepting unnecessary medical tests. First, ask questions, particularly if the doctor is throwing a lot of medical jargon at you that you don’t understand. It helps to have a friend or relative with you for support, particularly if English is not your mother tongue.
Keep in mind that you are the customer. The doctor can recommend, but ultimately it is up to you to accept. Again, ask questions about alternatives to the recommended treatments or tests, and feel free to bring up the financial aspects. It’s also wise to summarize with the doctor what your understanding is of the need for any procedures or tests. That way, you’re both on the same page and you will leave feeling that you’ve reached a mutual understanding of the necessity for any further actions.
Write It Down
Because most doctor examining rooms are lit with strange fluorescent lights, have cold tables and strange smells, you may find yourself disoriented or stressed to the point where you forget to ask all of your pertinent questions during your brief exam period.
That’s why it’s a good idea to write down your questions in advance. This has a two-fold purpose: it gives you focus, and it helps keep your doctor and you on track in your conversation. Doctors are used to strict procedures, so they may even welcome a patient who prepares ahead of time with their questions.
Even with the best-laid plans, your doctor may still recommend tests that raise a red flag. Here are three common tests that aren’t always needed. Read on to find out when you may want to “just” say no.
Three Tests You May Not Need
1. CT, PET Scans – These in-depth exams require you to sit in a tube and have radiation passed through your body. Although doctors often recommend them when they suspect that cancer is present, experts admit that they’re often ineffective at detecting the small bits of tumor that are most likely present.
Radiation is not something that’s good for the body, and may, in fact, increase your chances of getting cancer. Many times, doctors will recommend getting the scans when the patient complains of back pain. However, the vast majority of people who have a non-specific complaint about back pain get better in four to six weeks, even without a doctor’s care.
The tests on older people often show abnormalities that are merely part of the aging process and pose little danger. Since back surgery is painful and debilitating, it’s a must to avoid, and unless you have persistent pain that won’t go away or underlying conditions that suggest a big problem, question your doctor before going on this fishing trip.
2. Bone Density Scans – Unless you’re like the Samuel L. Jackson character in the film “Unbreakable,” where your bones shatter at the slightest nudge, it’s unlikely you’re at high risk of weak bones. Thus, women should wait until age 65 to have bone density measured. Younger women rarely contract osteoporosis, and the drugs that treat the condition have all sorts of unpleasant side effects.
3. EKG and other heart screening – These are often recommended when a patient complains of chest pain. But if you’re not a person who is overweight, has a family history of heart disease, or some other obvious symptom, cardiologists agree that the tests aren’t really necessary. The real danger is if the test shows a false positive and is therefore treated as such when a problem truly isn’t present.
Keep in mind that doctors do care about their patients and prefer to be cautious and conservative when it comes to recommendations on your medical care. A doctor-patient relationship is like any other -- you have the right to question whether any treatment is the right course of action for your particular medical needs. The best medical care comes when you’re absolutely confident that you’re pursuing the right course of action, and that can only occur when you feel fully informed to make a decision.
So when in doubt, ask.