Most of us seniors prefer to have just one doctor to care for us all throughout our lifetimes. If it’s only possible for a doctor to handle all our health maladies, that would have answered our prayers. However, we all know that ain’t possible especially as we age since we will need specialized care that our general practitioners won’t be able to give us.

Being comfortable with your doctor is important. If this cannot be achieved upon first meeting then you, as the patient, don’t have to put up with the doctor and just move along to the next one. Each doctor has their own style when treating patients. Some may handle patients more carefully while a handful can be brutally straightforward. Similar to choosing friends, or at least, people to hang out with, you pick the ones who belong to the same wavelength. That is the only way you’ll be comfortable enough to express your fears and open up easily to a person right? That is also how you are most likely to choose your doctor.

But how would you know if it’s time for you to move on to a new doctor? Here are some telltale signs that you might want to look out for to determine if this isn’t exactly the right doctor for you:

•    Communication lines are always busy. The scenario would be: you talking endlessly, trying to describe as hard as you can the symptoms you are currently experiencing; the doctor disregarding everything you just said and sticks with his diagnosis no matter what. As a patient, it’s your responsibility to describe your condition in great detail and  as your doctor, it is HIS obligation to listen to what you have to say no matter how painfully long your story is.
•    He gives you a guilt trip, big time. You just received the “verdict” from the laboratory and it’s not so good, in fact it is so bad, you need an immediate treatment, says your doctor. You, on the other hand, are a little doubtful and would like a second opinion. Now, he is making you feel guilty about delaying treatment. Remember, your doctor should understand your fears and must do everything in their capability to make you feel at ease.
•    He’s not familiar with older patients. You discuss your condition and his face went blank trying to figure out why the body is behaving as such when it’s only normal for your body to do so because of your age. As much as possible, go to a doctor who has expertise on treating elderly patients.
•    He’s not taking your fears seriously enough. You inquire about your current health malady and the first thing you get from him is a chuckle. Regardless of how light and insignificant your situation might be, your doctor should be sensitive enough to address your fears properly.
•    He’s not taking time to explain procedures and treatment. If he is leaving you in the dark, then maybe it’s time to leave him somewhere else too..