A Question for the Chronic Illness Wrangler
From Donia Schloot:
How do you “fire” a doctor. Is it simply going to another doctor, or is
it with an explanation before leaving? Craziest thing is that I’ve had
to shop around for docs a lot. My medical records are like everywhere.
Sometimes, the offices simply cannot manage sending copies of
records….. Drives me mad. I’ve had doctors who were not only jerks, but
also inconsiderate of my needs in terms of communication. I am deaf and
need the doc to speak slowly and clearly so I can speech-read them, and
I am quite upfront about my needs. And some even think a person with a
myriad of problems are simply cuckoo……..
Dear Donia,
How do you fire a doctor? Simply by not scheduling more appointments with them.
You do not owe anyone an explanation unless you feel compelled by the
nature of your particular relationship to provide feedback. In that
case, if a face to face conversation is uncomfortable for you, write your reasons in a thoughtful letter. In the same letter you can
request copies of your medical records or at a minimum a medical
summary that you can keep for your records.
Best wishes and warmest regards,
Dr. Aletta
