When it comes to your health care, you want to have a doctor who listens to you and takes your concerns seriously. Unfortunately, there are some signs that your doctor may not prioritize your well-being.
Physicians who don’t understand their patients’ medical needs can misdiagnose them, prescribe incorrect prescriptions, and conduct inadequate treatments. Sometimes, these behaviors can border on negligence.
At Barrera Law Group LLC, many of our clients have experienced poor healthcare services from providers in the area. One of the biggest red flags that lead to medical mistakes is the provider’s lack of concern for their patient’s health.
Here are the top signs that your doctor isn’t listening to your concerns.
Rushed Appointments
According to Healthgrades, a doctor’s appointment lasts just 13 to 20 minutes, and some are even less than that. Rushed appointments often leave patients feeling dissatisfied with the care they receive.
When you are at an appointment, you want to make sure that all your concerns and answers are addressed.
You should never feel rushed, even if the doctor runs a busy practice. If this happens to you, you may want to switch providers. A healthcare provider should allow you enough time to talk about your health.
No Engagement
Everyone hopes that their doctor will make their health a top priority. But what happens when the healthcare provider doesn’t seem to engage with you during the appointment? Yes, there are standard procedures that are conducted throughout every visit, but if there’s a serious lack of engagement, that should be a cause for concern.
At the very least, your physician should make eye contact or show interest while you’re talking.
Remember, you want to make sure you are being heard and understood. When a healthcare provider acknowledges your statements or concerns, they build trust. With that, you can be assured that they fully understand your health needs.
Constant Interruptions
Interrupting someone can be quite rude and disrespectful, especially when it comes to your doctor.
Sometimes, your provider might cut you off mid-sentence or not allow you to express yourself fully. When this happens, you might feel frustrated, angry, and resentful, which is not ideal for the doctor-patient relationship.
One study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine showed that physicians interrupted patients after only 11 seconds. For those patients who were not interrupted, they only spoke for an average of six seconds.
That’s not enough time to fully talk about your health concerns.
Judgmental Attitude
According to another study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, one in 10 patients have felt judged, especially after reading outpatient notes by their healthcare provider. When visiting the doctor, you don’t want to feel worse than you already feel. Some doctors feel the need to lecture their patients about health choices. Judgmental behavior can be a major concern for patients when visiting a doctor.
As a result, it causes a lack of trust and hinders a patient’s ability to communicate effectively with their doctor. Patients may also feel that their doctor lacks empathy or understanding.
In turn, that can be detrimental to their overall well-being. All healthcare professionals should be non-judgmental and supportive in their approach. With that, patients feel comfortable and can openly discuss their health concerns.
Dismissive Behavior
A dismissive attitude can take many forms. Your doctor might downplay your symptoms or concerns, ignore your questions, or fail to provide adequate explanations or follow-up care. This can make you feel like you are not being taken seriously, which can be concerning if you are experiencing persistent or severe symptoms.
You need to find a healthcare provider who listens to your concerns and takes your symptoms seriously so that you can receive appropriate treatment and feel confident in your healthcare decisions.
Distracted
Modern doctor’s offices have plenty of devices. One common issue people encounter during appointments is the tendency for their providers to be distracted by technology. During the appointment, your doctor might look at electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, or laptops.
While it may seem harmless, it can be detrimental to the quality of the appointment. When this happens, you might feel like they aren’t fully present or invested in the conversation.
Once again, this can be a sign that your doctor is not invested in addressing any of your concerns.
Why This Is Detrimental to Your Health
Having a doctor who doesn’t actively listen can have serious consequences for your well-being.
When you visit a doctor, you expect them to listen to your concerns and ask questions. However, if they don’t listen carefully, they might miss details about your symptoms or medical history, resulting in a delayed diagnosis. Unfortunately, when some diseases are not caught early, it can lead to delays in treatment and cause a progression of other medical conditions.
Worse yet, ignored symptoms can worsen over time, which can lead to more serious health issues down the road.
If your doctor doesn’t pay attention to your concerns, they might prescribe medications that interact poorly with your existing conditions or other drugs. Incorrect dosages or inappropriate medications are harmful to your health.
Physicians who don’t listen can overlook measures that help with disease prevention. Regular check-ups and preventive screenings are essential for early detection of health issues, such as cancer.
You need open communication with a healthcare provider. If you encounter signs that your doctor isn’t attentive, consider seeking a second opinion or finding a different professional. Not taking concerns seriously can lead to medical errors and even border on negligence.
If you or your loved one have been injured by this type of behavior, the Albuquerque medical malpractice lawyers at Barrera Law Group are ready to help.