Everyone needs an advocate

Three years ago I had a TIA (mini-stroke) and pay attention to warning signs.  This week, two days after a "perfect" checkup with a new physician, I stopped at my ophthalmologist's office to check out double vision that was plaguing me for 24 hours.



The ophthalmologist exchanged numbers with his assistant, scheduled a MRI two weeks hence, prescribed blood work then asked to see me in six weeks.  When I asked if he could send his review of our visit to my neurologist, his reply was "What are you seeing her for?"  I shared my TIA earlier which was in his records,   I am 71 years of age.  I would have valued if I were asked, "Did you drive here by yourself today?" "Is there someone you might like us to call?"  Especially when I was told to curtail my driving.


I cannot help but think of others who might not be as active as I am in a new sales position receiving alarming news.  Do they automatically accept their fate?  Do they have someone to share the news with who might accompany them for the MRI?  In a well-equipped office, and with HIPPA regulations, cannot one receive news other than in the hallway?  Everyone needs an advocate, even physicians.

Meeting Room vs. Waiting Room

In 2002 I advocated for geriatric care consulting in physician practice waiting rooms. Though there was interest from one practice in Gainesville GA, physician staffing berthed the concept to the back burner. Before the plethora of cell phones we have today I envisioned patients and caregivers having access to phones where they could resolve issues during their long wait.   Having a geriatric care consultant or social worker in the waiting room could relieve anxieties as people shared their social concerns.  

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664797/six-ways-to-improve-doctors-waiting-rooms

What if a caregiver could discuss a transportation issue or be able to inquire about a resource to lessen his/her burden(s)?   What if elders looking after each other could have a smile or be directed for funding to remodel their home so they could age in place?   What if the environment in a physician's practice was friendlier and encouraged storytelling in a corner?  Yes, away with those wide screens and listen.   Patients have so much to share, wisdom, character, and strength.   Many with family scattered around the country or globe would benefit from socialization, lessen health concerns, thwart disease.

The People's Pharmacy recently conducted research on drugs with more side effects than benefits.  Conversation and listening are more beneficial to one's health than prescription drugs.   What is your best waiting room experience? What if, in an hour or two wait, a trained professional could help you write or edit an oral or written legacy to your children?

Why I Love My Doctor- We're Not Dead Yet

When I retired, I moved back to the area where my children grew up so that I could be closer to my family. As such, I had to go through the motions of changing everything. I changed doctors, most notably. I spend about 3 to 5 hours a month at the doctor, which doesn't sound like a lot but it sure isn't a walk in the park. Since I'm there a lot for checkups and other tests, I need a doctor that I feel comfortable with and can trust. I made the mistake of hiring the first doctor that I found, and quickly realized that I needed a better solution. The mistake? Let me explain.


I had been spending the day with my daughter, who just insisted on riding along with me to my appointment. She likely wanted to see and hear for herself that I was (or was not, perhaps) healthy. So I conceded and she came along. Mind you, this was only the second time I had been to see this doctor. I could have been his mother, too. He was fresh out of medical school and you could tell. But that day, it was painfully obvious that he'd missed the course on bedside manner and patient communication.

He came into the room, talked to me, talked to my daughter, and went about his business. As the appointment went on, I began to notice that he spent far more time talking ABOUT me to my daughter, as if I wasn't even there. After about 20 minutes, I was exasperated. I looked him straight in the face, excused myself, and said

"I'm not dead yet, you know."

He got a startled look on his face, and chuckled, as if I was joking before walking out of the room. In the process of finding my current doctor, whom I love dearly, I went through about 5 or 6 who all did the same thing. I made it a pet project, of sorts, and took my daughter along just to prove a point: doctors tend to treat older people like children who can't understand them. We understand just fine. As a health advocate, I am advocating for better education on patient communication. We ARE the patients, after all.

Contributed by Mary Albert, a blogger for a senior lifestyle web site that provides advice for the 55+ age group as well as medical alert reviews