You Don’t Always Know What Kind of Doctor to See
When you have a health problem, you don’t always know what kind of doctor to see. And Google has almost made matters worse. Self-diagnosis via the internet may seem like a good idea, but the overwhelming amount of information can be confusing at best and conflicting at worst. The result is that self-diagnosing patients can end up in the wrong kind of doctor’s office. And doctors, for a variety of reasons, can get in the habit of steering patients to just treat within their own specialty or profession even when the patient’s presenting problem would be better solved by a different kind of doctor.
This brings to mind Miracle on 34th Street (the 1947 black-and-white original release, of course). I have always been inspired by that scene where Kris Kringle, ignoring instructions to steer parents to buy only from Macy’s, directs one shopper to another store because Macy’s does not have the toy she wants for her child. To me, that is the epitome of putting the customer’s needs first. And, I believe patients deserve this level of “customer service” in the healthcare setting as well.
Doctors Could Learn Something from Kris Kringle
Just like Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street, doctors of medicine should tell patients when they cannot help them, and assist them with next steps. That means when a patient is not responding, instead of simply steering patients to only “buy” more medical care, doctors of medicine should recommend options like adding chiropractic care to those patients who need faster relief from back pain, neck pain or headaches.
In the same way, chiropractic doctors should tell patients when they cannot help them, and assist them with next steps. That means if a patient is not responding, instead of simply recommending the patient “buy” just a little more chiropractic care, doctors of chiropractic should recommend options like adding massage or a medical consultation to those patients who want faster relief from back pain, neck pain or headaches.
The Truth Is, No Doctor Can Help Every Patient
The truth is, no doctor can help every patient. What you need as a patient is to be able to trust that the doctor you consult will tell you when they can and cannot help you, even if that means directing you to another kind of doctor. It’s that simple. That means it all comes down to trust; you need to be able to trust that the doctor(s) you consult put your needs first.
We Tell You When We Can or Cannot Help You
If we can help you with your health problem, we will let you know. If we can’t help you, we will let you know that too. Not only that, we will direct you to other kinds of doctors if needed. That means if what you really need is a referral to a specialist, or you need to see your primary care physician instead of us, we will tell you and even help you arrange an appointment.
All doctors, including doctors of medicine, should provide only the care and all the care known to be effective. That’s our mission, and that’s what we do at Hartville Health & Wellness Centre.
In addition, if you would like to find out if we think we can help even before you see us, simply go to “Ask Dr, Weisel”. Here you can submit your question about chiropractic care, the Activator Method®, laser therapy or nutrition, and it will be confidentially received and privately answered.
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