Youthful acne, heart pain or a nervous tic – no matter what health problems disturb a person, the main thing is to find an intelligent doctor. He will clearly collect an anamnesis, prescribe the necessary tests and help you quickly cope with the disease. But how to recognize such a specialist if you do not understand anything in medicine? The Secret found out how doctors look for doctors.
1. If a doctor has a degree, this does not mean that he is good.
Usually, a doctor’s degree is associated at least with the fact that a person has a very high level of knowledge. But people often do not think about the fact that doctors of science are not always involved in the clinical field, says physician Nikolai Vitenko.
“More often such doctors research, share their discoveries with the scientific world, and teach. The professor spends more time writing articles, lectures, studying scientific literature than at the reception with living patients,” Vitenko said.
But, of course, there are exceptions to this rule.
At the same time, any doctor should follow the quality clinical research in his specialty and strive to learn new things.
I would suggest with great confidence to treat adherents of evidence-based medicine. The recommendations of such a doctor will be based on high-quality clinical studies, and not on “author’s schemes”. There are opinions that such a doctor must know English in order to read fresh international sources. I would still not insist on knowledge of English as a mandatory factor. Now most of the important studies are promptly translated into Russian.
Olga Bakshutova Head of the Department of Digital Medicine, SAO VSK
2. The ideal doctor is middle-aged. Such a specialist has already gained clinical experience, but is still ready to learn new things.
A young aspiring doctor might seem like a good choice. Especially if he graduated with honors from a medical university, closely follows foreign medicine, and works according to the most modern protocols.
“Unfortunately, such specialists still lack the clinical experience that is so important in medical practice. As a result, the patient participates together with a young doctor in some experiment in which a successful treatment result is not always guaranteed,” says Vitenko.
The rule also works in the opposite direction. A doctor at a venerable age can rely on his seniority and experience, but at the same time be closed to the new. If such a specialist does not accept the achievements of modern medicine, he can make the patient hostage to his “author’s” treatment, Vitenko adds.
The first piece of advice when looking for a good doctor is to pay attention to the experience of the specialist. It is better that he works in a specialized clinic, where several thousand operations of interest to the patient are performed per year, including at least 200–250 procedures personally by a doctor. If we talk about ophthalmology, real mastery of technology is impossible without constant practice and regular advanced training. To do this, ophthalmic surgeons regularly participate in various conferences, symposiums, and round tables. Typically, a leading specialist surgeon with more than 15 years of experience should accumulate experience of about 10,000–15,000 performed operations.
Vitaly Avaliani chief physician and owner of the eye microsurgery center “I see”
The fame of a doctor is not always a sign that he is doing his job well.
It seems that if a doctor appears on TV and in glossy magazines, maintains a popular blog and uploads expert videos on YouTube, then he is definitely the best specialist in the world. But in reality it doesn’t work that way.
“Fame for a doctor is neither good nor bad. It is important to understand what is behind this fame: his sincere desire to help people or just a successful commercial project,” recommends Vitenko.
Before making an appointment with a well-known doctor, carefully analyze information from open sources: read reviews, study publications in the media, check the clinic where he works, in judicial databases.
If possible, study the portfolio and cases from the doctor’s practice. It is this, and not the media expertise of a specialist, that will help you make the right choice.
I advise you to pay attention to such items as: – Portfolio – you should especially carefully study the results of those operations that you are planning for yourself; – reviews of other patients – I recommend to analyze the feedback not only in the social networks of the surgeon himself, but also on such sites as Prodoctorov, Napopravka, Zoon and others; – technical equipment of the clinic where the surgeon operates, the wards and the environment in general. It is useful to learn about the education and qualifications of a doctor, his participation in conferences, symposiums, congresses, membership in associations of Russian or European surgeons.
Sergey Bragilev plastic surgeon at Grandmed Clinic
If the doctor immediately makes a vague diagnosis, this is a reason to strain
The patient should be alerted if at the appointment the doctor uses such formulaic phrases as: “well, everything is clear with you”, “what did you want?”, “you are not the only one complaining of such pain”, and the like. Or he immediately declares that he is sure that you have lupus.
“Unwilling to delve deeply into the specific causes and characteristics of the disease, such a doctor is often limited to making general archaic diagnoses. For example, dysbacteriosis, osteochondrosis, vegetovascular dystonia. Or he refers to the fact that, as always, weak immunity is to blame for everything, ”Vitenko points out.
In the doctor’s speech, the logic of his thoughts should be traced. It should be understandable, accessible to the patient, specific to his personal situation and state of health. The doctor should approach the problem from different angles and not be afraid to send for additional examinations.
It happens that problems with the onset of pregnancy in a woman are associated with a man. You can determine the condition of the sperm and eliminate possible risks using a spermogram. If a pathology is detected, the doctor will prescribe individual therapy. If the reproductologist is not looking for a problem, but prescribes a basic treatment for ureaplasma and HPV, you should consult with another doctor. If within a year a physically healthy couple under the age of 35 does not become pregnant with regular intercourse, a competent specialist will suggest considering assisted reproductive technologies – for example, IVF. It is worth thinking about changing the doctor if, with unsuccessful transfers, the reproductologist does not offer to change the treatment tactics and continues therapy that has not worked.
Alexander Lapshihin obstetrician-gynecologist, reproductologist, candidate of medical sciences, head of the ART department of the Remedi Institute of Reproductive Medicine
If during the consultation the doctor is not up to you, it is better to choose another
Often the doctor is terribly limited in time. He, without raising his head, greets the patient, asks a couple of questions and spends the remaining time of the appointment, buried in his monitor, filling out medical documentation.
If the doctor is not up to you at all, this is a bad sign.
“No matter how many bureaucratic requirements, the patient and his health is the most important thing. During the appointment, the doctor should completely immerse himself in the history of his patient, study the anamnesis, evaluate external physical parameters, and ask the maximum number of questions. Often they can also relate to the health history of his family, predisposition to hereditary or genetic diseases, ”says Vitenko.
Nobody obliges to draw final conclusions, make an accurate diagnosis, give full recommendations at the initial appointment. The doctor always has the opportunity to prescribe additional studies, keep the patient’s medical documentation for study, and, if necessary, discuss something with related specialists. And this, according to Vitenko, is not a matter of time, but of desire.
Before any treatment or even surgery, the doctor should conduct a detailed consultation based on the results of the examination. In this case, the patient should be told about the various possible approaches to treatment. If the doctor devotes enough time to talking with the patient and is motivated to solve the detected pathology, including taking into account possible concerns and other needs, then he can be considered a good ophthalmologist. It is important for the doctor to acknowledge that the patient may want a second opinion, this is perfectly normal.
Vitaly Avaliani chief physician and owner of the Eye Microsurgery Center “I see”
6. If a doctor prescribes a million tests and a course of procedures on expensive equipment, run away from him.
Does the doctor prescribe a long course of procedures on some super-complex modern equipment, without examining the medical documentation, asks to take a million tests, without explaining their direct purpose, offers to take a course of “miracle droppers” for incredible money? All this literally screams: run away from such a specialist.
“A good doctor will never spin his patient for money, earning his percentage. Understanding the laws of commercial medicine and the pharmaceutical business, he will definitely find a compromise that will lead to the desired result for all parties, while allowing him to maintain his inner balance and vocation,” says Vitenko.
If the doctor prescribes an insufficient number of tests, this should also alert. Without the necessary information, he simply will not be able to prescribe adequate treatment.
7. If a doctor is recommended by his colleagues, you should take a closer look at such a specialist.
The most important selection criterion is the recommendation of a specialist by colleagues, Vitenko believes.
“The professional medical world is very narrow, and only close interaction, trust of specialists in each other is a marker of the true level, image, status and value of a doctor for a patient,” Vitenko sums up.
8. If you feel in your gut that something is wrong with the doctor, but there are no logical explanations, it is better to look for another
There must be a trusting relationship between doctor and patient. If you feel that you cannot tell the specialist everything as it is, or if you feel that the doctor is indifferent, it is better to look for a more empathic specialist. Communication with him will be more comfortable, and treatment will be effective.
If you can share any health concerns with your doctor, that’s a good sign. Even if the fears seem stupid to you. After all, a consultation is just what is needed in order to clarify everything related to treatment: from anesthesia to recovery.
Another good sign is if the doctor you trust with your health is available in emergencies, even after hours. And, if necessary, by phone or in a messenger, he can advise or be ready to provide unscheduled assistance in case of possible complications.
Collage: Secret of the Company, Unsplash/Gregory Stewart, Charlie Seaman, Unsplash License, freepik/freepik, pngwing.com
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