Special Treatment How to Get the Same High-Quality Health Care Your Doctor Gets

Chapter OneChoosing A Primary Care Doctor and Getting the Best Specialist CareDr. Justice arrived at the emergency room shortly after his patient did. The ER staff wasn't surprised, as Dr. Justice and his medical colleagues always liked to care for their own patients when possible. The patient had called Dr. Justice (who had returned his phone call promptly) to tell him that he had chest pain. Dr. Justice told him to call 911 and get to the ER by ambulance. He would call the ER, give them some orders, and would follow along shortly. Dr. Justice spoke with his patient in a calm and unhurried manner and assured him that he would get the best possible medical care. He and his medical group would oversee each step of his care in consultation with the specialists in the hospital-the same specialists that he would use if it were for himself. Dr. Justice then invited the patient's wife into the examining room with her husband and reassured her in the same quiet, confident manner as he had reassured her husband. He held her hand while sitting in the chair next to her, all the while listening to her concerns. He addressed each question in a respectful and easy style that immediately calmed the worried wife. Finally, when she had all her questions answered, he hugged her and left the room to see another patient. The nursing staff could see an immediate positive difference in the whole family after Dr. Justice had finished. Who wouldn't want a doctor like this? Sound like a fantasy doctor from Central Casting? Well, it's not. There are many wonderful doctors in the practice of medicine who provide this same kind of caring and compassion. This is the kind of care we'd all like to have and deserve to have. It is possible to find a doctor or doctors like the one in our little scenario. It will take some time and effort on your part, but it's possible. Think about this: * The number of physicians in the United States is 700,000. * The number of accidental deaths caused by physicians per year is 120,000. * The number of accidental deaths per physician is 0.171 per year. (Health and Human Services Dept.) Then think about this: * The number of gun owners in the United States is 80 million. * The number of accidental gun deaths per year (all age groups) is 1,500. * The number of accidental deaths per gun owner per year is .0000188. Statistically, doctors are approximately nine thousand times more dangerous than gun owners. FACT: Not everyone has a gun, but almost everyone has at least one doctor. The above is a joke making its way around the Internet that might just contain a bit of truth. It's a humorous way of letting you know that finding the right doctor is extremely important to your health because, according to a 1998 Gallup Poll, 83 percent of Americans visited a doctor in the previous year. While most people saw a doctor for routine care of common problems, many others required a specialist's care for more serious and complex issues. The biggest problem that many people have in medical care is finding the right doctor. In survey after survey, people have defined the "right" doctor as one who is compassionate, kind, listens to what they are saying, and includes them as partners in their treatment. Many of us are blessed with a doctor we can trust and who provides wonderful care for us and our families. Many others of us are not. We won't kid you. Finding the right doctor for you can be hard work. It takes time and may require considerable effort. In some cases, you may get lucky and strike gold right away. It's good to keep in mind that anything good and worth having in life usually requires some work, and the feeling of accomplishment you get when the job is done and you find the right doctor makes it all worthwhile. After all, in this case, we're talking about your health and maybe your life.Soden, Kevin J. is the author of 'Special Treatment How to Get the Same High-Quality Health Care Your Doctor Gets' with ISBN 9780425191682 and ISBN 0425191680.