“I didn’t want to take any more of my doctor’s time.” That explains why many patients let their call or visit end without asking all their questions. That’s why they don’t tell their doctors they didn’t understand something and needed it repeated or explained in a different way.
It’s a beautiful thing if you realize and care that your doctors are people working long, hard hours and under stressful conditions, especially during a pandemic. It’s not good, though, if your concern for them hampers your care.
As a Healthy Survivor, make sure you get your important questions answered and instructions clarified. If you worry about taking up too much time, remember that your doctors want you to do as well as possible—and that depends on you understanding what they say and what you’re supposed to do. They depend on you to let them know if you don’t understand something or need something.
The best way you can “care” for them is to…
Prepare for your visits and calls (see Optimizing Callbacks from Doctors).
Listen intently during the conversation, as if your life depended on it. Take notes or bring a companion who can ask questions and listen with you.
Let them know your questions, even if some answers might have to wait for a subsequent call or visit.
Let them know if you don’t understand your instructions. Someone on the team, if not the doctor, can get you your answers in a timely manner.
Next post: If the doctor seems impatient with your questions.
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