It’s always important to have a crack doctor on your speed dial rather than a quack. The body can do strange things and you need someone to give a second opinion as you don’t have a doctorate in medicine. As you age, it’s as important as ever to make sure the man or woman with the stethoscope is on point. The logic is simple: you’re going to visit them often.
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As your body deteriorates, you need someone with an eagle eye who can spot the signs. And, it might as well be someone you like if you’re going to see them once a week. These are the things to consider.
Location
Medicine isn’t like real estate, so the location isn’t everything. Yes, it’s easier if the surgery or clinic is a ten-minute drive away for obvious reasons. However, just because it’s a thirty-minute ride into the center of town shouldn’t put you off either. A whopping 60% of patients choose their doc based on location, which is dangerous because it puts health at risk. First and foremost, the physician should be a qualified and skilled practitioner who puts your well being first. After that, then things such as location and cost can come into play.
Cost
Although, let’s not pretend that money isn’t a factor. Healthcare might be free but Medicare in this country covers not everything. For example, dental and prescription drugs are privatized and require an upfront payment. Considering the pill-popping culture in North America, the odds are you’ll need some medication in the future. It’s much better to get some form of care than none whatsoever in this scenario as certain pills are powerful and can improve your quality of life. Always research the prices beforehand to make sure you can afford treatment which isn’t covered by the government.
Patient History
Everyone makes mistakes, but you can’t afford a doctor who does it regularly or makes huge errors. It’s your health and one slip-up might be fatal. That’s why some people seek out a lawyer: to dig a little deeper. A physician’s record won’t be public so you will need to hit the books to find out more. Even though it isn’t comprehensive, it’s always a good idea to use referrals from friends. Because they’re unbiased, their recommendation isn’t tainted. Another option is to check the Web for surgeries with excellent patient histories.
Bedside Manner
You (hopefully) won’t need anything more than a checkup yet it’s still good to take their bedside manner into account. For one thing, going to visit a doctor is a grind because of the stress of the unknown. At least with someone who is warm and can make your life, you won’t feel as much pressure. Plus, hating your doctor is likely to encourage you not to see them when you are ill. You’ll think “oh it’s nothing and I can’t be bothered with X anyway.” Plenty of people have suffered because they didn’t want to bother their practitioner.
In general, it’s all about their level of care whether it’s medical or customer-based.
