Be the BOSS!

Here are some terms that I think tend to confuse the average consumer (patient) when it comes to Physicians and all aspects of the Medical Field-

• Doctor's Visit


• Go to see the Doctor

Now... why in the world are those terms confusing?

Forgive me if I am wrong, but the last time I went to visit someone I did not have to pay for the privilege and certainly did not have to pay more for a 'special' visit!

I also did not go to "see" the Doctor... I can do that for free by sitting in a Hospital lobby, seeing hundreds of doctors in a single day!

What we tend to forget is that the Physicians we "see" are actually subcontractors... we make a contract with the Insurance Company, in a sense, hiring them and they in turn have a list of subcontractors that we can choose from to serve our needs. We forget that WE are the upper management in all of this, we are the BOSS!

We pay our 'employees', our 'subcontractors' to do specialized work and trust them to do the work they have been hired to do, but somehow we have lost sight of the fact that we are the ones that really call the shots.

You need to take an active roll in your Health Care...

Would you hire a roofer to come in and put a new roof on your house then let them call the shots as to the color, price, design and timeline? No, you would watch them carefully and make sure that your wishes were followed and would refuse to pay until the job was done to your satisfaction.

You need to know what tests are being done and why, what treatment options are available, what you need to do to be prepared for any emergencies and what the future might hold so that you can make the best decisions in your own best interest.

You would fire an employee that did not return phone calls and would never even consider calling in a plumber that did not understand the plumbing in your house.... why accept a Doctor that never returns phone calls or does not understand all of your medical conditions?

The terminology used can be very confusing... to 'visit' tends to denote a casual atmosphere and to 'see' makes you believe that just being in their presence is enough, but it isn't.

If your Medical Subcontractor is not living up to the roll of a good employee it is time to put out the "Help Wanted" sign and find one that you can work WITH and will work FOR you.