…by Gloria May, M.S., R.N., CHES

Patients grumble and grouse about their doctors all the time. Their doctors are brusque, rushed, inattentive, even dismissive. Maybe their doctors seem cold, unsympathetic, or removed. And those wait times before you even get in to see the doctor!

Ever wonder what doctors complain of when it comes to their patients, perhaps even you? (What, me?)

A study of patients’ habits that most irritate doctors (and which can make diagnoses and treatments more difficult) was first published in the Archives of Internal Medicine ten years ago, but even today it’s often referenced and seems relevant. A reminder and review of it was recently published on Medpage Today.

Here are the six most irritating traits doctors note about their patients:

1. Although it’s often suggested that patients bring a loved one or friend to their doctors’ appointments, if the companion interferes with the direct dialogue between patient and doctor (like interjecting their opinions), and if their presence precludes frankness and honesty between patient and doctor, their being there can do more harm than good.
2. While the FDA may not consider an herb or supplement a “drug,” many of the ingredients in these products can act drug-like and adversely interact with any prescription medication the patient is taking. If patients don’t ‘fess up about what over-the-counter medications, herbals, and supplements they take, in addition to what drugs they have been prescribed by other physicians, it can be problematic.
3. Patients often stop taking medications or adjust their dosages without informing their doctor until their next visit which can be months away. If you are tempted to stop taking your medication or have considered taking more or less of it, tell your doctor first.
4. Patients who cling to unhealthy lifestyles but are eager to take pills and even undergo surgery are particularly frustrating, doctors say. And the “o” word (obesity) is often referenced: Patients who won’t lose weight, won’t even try to lose weight, won’t even ask for help in losing weight, but whose knees are crumbling and who are at greater risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, certain cancers etc., are particularly maddening for doctors who are there, after all, to help.
5. Since the FDA’s decision to allow drug companies to market on television and on radio, doctors say they have been inundated with patients’ request for specific drugs they have seen advertised. They report that rather than wanting to be educated and guided by their doctor as to whether a particular drug is appropriate, many patients just want the doctor to stop talking and write a prescription.
6. Patients sometimes think more is better when it comes to tests and demand extra procedures, a practice that suggests the patient thinks the doctor might be missing something. It’s one thing to say, “Would an MRI give us any more information?” and another to say, “I want to have an MRI just to make sure.”

More often than not, your doctor will be more concerned about providing quality care for you than he will about these annoying habits (after all, the patient IS the center of care), but you can’t help but wonder how much more smoothly the delivery of that care might be if we patients took stock of how we behave when we go to the doctor.

Gloria May is a registered nurse with a master’s degree in health education and she holds a certified health education specialist designation. She may be contacted at gmnursenews@hotmail.com

This article first appeared in the May 2010 edition of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region publication celebrating life over 50. For more information visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com