Finding the Right Doctor
by Douglas J. Pucci
A typical doctor sees a lot of patients in a given day. Here are some effective strategies for getting the most from that all-important first visit.
Maximize the time together: It’s our first appointment. We want to make a great impression and be
sure the doctor is committed to our case. We do this by calling to receive the paperwork so that we can complete it ahead of time. Gather any additional records, including blood tests, hormone analyses, radiology reports and so on and send those in, too.
By pulling together our records and returning these a day or two ahead of schedule, we allow the doctor time to review and prepare his notes. He will get to know us inside and out. He will be able to make an initial assessment based on years of experience and clinical expertise. Being prepared means that he will know immediately where to look for clues.
Tell our side of the story: As we sit down to write our narrative, we want to begin with a simple exercise: List everything leading to what brought us there that day. List our doctor’s appointments, surgeries and hospitalizations and when we developed our most pressing symptoms.
The doctor wants to get to know the details of our life. He wants to know what we’ve tried that did not work for us and perhaps what did. He wants to know what medications we are taking and if we are experiencing side effects.
As you think about our timeline, we want to layer in any emotional blocks or deep personal wounds that could be detrimental to our health. Sometimes it’s no accident that our first trip to the doctor 10 years ago came just after our second child left home, and that in addition to the empty nest, we started to develop sleepless nights.
Prepare ourselves for what’s next: We have a list of pressing questions that start with, “I take black cohosh, is that okay?” and end with, “Do you think I’m crazy? My other doctor said I was nuts.” Rest assured the doctor is going to emphatically say, “No!” to that last question. The distance between these two questions is what’s important. It helps to write down our talking points because even though the doctor’s main goal is to really listen to what we have to say, his mind is working immediately to piece this together. There is a framework, a clinical picture in his mind that filters out the nonessential from the truly significant.
Go ahead and dazzle the doctor with all we are thinking on the problem, everything we’ve tried, all the research we’ve put into this and all the years of pain and anguish we’ve suffered. Just start at the beginning and then move on to the next question. There’s a lot of material to cover.
Dr. Douglas J. Pucci, DC, FAAIM, offers in-office seminars presenting the latest science and clinical data on neurotoxic illness, hormone disruptions, and chronic disease. For more information, call 201-261-5430 or visit GetWell-Now.com.
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