When you go to visit a doctor, whether it be a surgeon, a
general practitioner, or anything in between, you put your health and your
wellbeing in their hands. And, while most doctors are perfectly qualified and
will provide adequate treatment, there are some who make dangerous mistakes
that could have a severe, negative impact on your health.
No one wants to be the victim of medical malpractice, which
is why it's important to know the warning signs of a potentially bad doctor.
That way, when something is amiss, you can choose a different doctor and
hopefully avoid malpractice.
You Don't Feel Comfortable
When choosing a doctor, remember to trust yourself. When you
meet with the doctor, stay in touch with how you feel in their presence. If you
find that you feel uncomfortable, talked down to, or like there is just
something off about your doctor, go another route.
Yes, there is a chance that you may be wrong, but often
times your gut is right. With so many medical professionals out there, you can
certainly pass up on someone who doesn't make you feel great and choose instead
someone who does make you feel comfortable, without sacrificing quality care in
the process.
Your Doctor is Always Late
When you arrive to your medical appointment on time or even
early, is your doctor ready and waiting to see you? Or, do you find yourself
sitting in the waiting room for longer than anticipated?
If it's the latter, you have a doctor who is not fully
respecting your time, which can be a bad sign, as well as an indicator of the
level of care and concern you are likely to receive. While no doctor is perfect
or on time all the time, if your doctor is consistently late or doesn't
apologize when they are, you'll probably want to go in a different direction.
Your Doctor Talks Poorly of Others
The best doctors are doctors who are willing to admit that
they don't know everything. They will refer you to others when they feel that
your condition is outside of their expertise. They will also listen to advice
and input from your previous doctors via your medical forms.
A bad doctor, on the other hand, thinks they know it all.
They may downgrade past care you have received or talk poorly about other
options, which is very unprofessional. If your doctor is cruel towards other
physicians, look elsewhere.
Your Doctor Makes Mistakes
Doctors are human, so they can't be perfect all of the time.
However, if you find that your doctor regularly makes mistakes, like forgetting
an appointment, ordering the wrong test, or reading test results wrong, take
heed.
This is often a sign that your doctor is disorganized or
disinterested and neither are good signs. Regular mistakes mean that it would
be a mistake on your part to stay with the same doctor.
You Don't Know What's Going On
Finally, keep in mind that, as the patient, you are entitled
to know and understand what is going on with your health and what your
treatment plan involves.
If you feel like your doctor uses jargon all the time, won't
or can't break things down for you in a way that you understand, or acts like
you don't need to know what's going on, look elsewhere for care. You deserve to
be in control of your own treatment.
If you follow these tips, there's a good chance you will
never have to deal with medical malpractice or its pitfalls. If you do find
yourself the victim of medical malpractice, however, know that you are not alone.
You can always turn to the professionals at the Law Offices of Janice Maloney.
