Evaluate your Physician

In order to feel good about your medical care, you should feel good about your doctor, too. In this context, ask yourself the following questions in order to evaluate your physician:

* Does your doctor listen to you and answer all your questions about the causes and treatment of your medical problems, or is he vague, impatient or unwilling to answer them?
* Are you comfortable with your doctor? Can you openly discuss your inner most feelings and talk about intimate personal matters, including sexual and emotional problems?
* Does your doctor take a thorough history, asking for relevant factors about past physical and emotional problems, family medical history, medications you are taking and other matters affecting your health?
* Does your doctor address the root causes of your medical problems or does he merely prescribe medicine to treat the symptoms?
* Is your doctor well-groomed? A doctor who cannot be bothered to take care of how he looks may not look after you carefully either!
* Does your doctor smoke? (if yes, this should be a black mark against him!)
* Are you satisfied with the doctor's stand-in when he or she is unavailable?
* Do you feel at ease while asking your doctor questions that may sound "silly"?
* Does your doctor explain complex medical jargon in simple terms?
* Are the office staff members friendly? Do they listen to you patiently?
* Does your doctor answer your telephone calls promptly?
* Are you usually kept waiting for a long time even if you have fixed an appointment before hand?
* Does the doctor have hospital privileges at a respected medical institution?

If you are not satisfied with the answers to the proceeding questions, discuss your concerns with your doctor. Even after this discussion if you are still not satisfied, you should consider looking for another doctor.