As I celebrate five years of successful practice, I reflect on what I’ve learned.
One thing I’ve noticed is that the nature of my gig as an ND is that I tend to attract patients who are highly dissatisfied with the medical care they’ve received.
My suggestion is that these qualities should be the minimum expectations that you should look for before you allow someone to be or continue to be your health care provider:
-someone who is kind and makes you feel fully listened to & validated, who isn’t rushing you out the door or making you feel judged or stupid
-someone who is open to working with others when it comes to your care; collaboration with other professionals is usually in the patient’s best interest
-someone who will give you a full and proper evaluation, instead of guessing at the cause of your symptoms
-someone who offers you solutions in addition to or instead of medications
-someone who explains the risks, expected benefits, nutrient depletions, interactions, and potential side effects of whatever they prescribe for you
-someone who follows up with you within a reasonable time frame to see how you’re doing
-someone who leaves their ego at the door & welcomes your questions
-someone looking for the root cause of why you feel the way you feel & of all your symptoms
-someone who teaches you about your body & your health
If you’re not getting this from your current Doc, it’s probably time to seek a new opinion. Take this post as a sign. Your health is too important to settle for anything less.