Do you still have faith in your doctor?

This is a tough but rather critical question. Are you forced to see a certain doctor because his or her name is in the book that was given to you by your insurance company ?. Or your doctor name is not there at all , that means that he or she doe not exist or they are out of network , so if you insist on seeing the doctor you like and trust, you will have to pay the difference between HMO and PPO and if you live on  a limited income , then you will not be able to afford to see the doctor you trust. Similarly, when you are in the most serious health situations, and you check in a hospital , there is very high likelihood you will be shunted to hospital -employed physicians and you again will not be able to see your trusted doctor. So, that means there is no such a thing called doctor-patient relationship that really defined the sacred connection between a patient seeking help and a doctor providing the best care in an ethical and compassionate way.

Trying to understand why doctors are losing the public trust can be attributed to many possible explanations that include that their main driver is profit rather than patient best interest in mind in some cases , or being under tremendous pressure from Insurance companies or their employers ,other health regulators, fighting bureaucracy and drowned in paper work , reduced payments for their professional services along with sharp rise in the overhead  cost resulting in high burnout rate up to 70% so they do not care any more. 

Outrageous healthcare prices have certainly added to the negative image even if they were not the decision makers. In a New England Journal of Medicine Article that among  a 29 country survey, US ranked number 24 out of 29 confirming a marked drop in public trust in Medical Profession and the article concluded that if the medical profession and its leaders fail the public trust, some one else without the medical experience will step in to fill the void and make policy decisions affecting patient care without their professional input and may not serve patients well.

Trusting your doctor has many health benefits mostly visible in implementing successful disease prevention or management measures or even trying new therapies or medications and save big. Because when treatment plan fails , the alternative will be costly hospitalization and procedures. Then those unhappy patients will shop around for a different doctor who they can trust and feel that he or she has their best interest in mind, or at least seek an honest second opinion regarding their specific medical condition and treatment options that are best suited for the patient if your plan does not allow switching providers that easy as patient are pretty much ( locked in for the year when they signed up for that particular plan).


After all, doctor-patient relationship is a long term one unless either one moves away or passes away. Patients would appreciate a trust-worthy physician who they trust for their life. The patients really do not care if their doctors have a fancy clinic , they will follow the doctor where ever they go when they move their practice location or employers. In some instances , you can hear patients who love their doctor say( if my doctor goes to the moon, we will follow) or they can be connected with Tele Medicine!

Patients have to invest in their health by getting educated about their doctor to build the mutual trust that both will work together towards one goal which is achieving the best health outcome possible. I say to may fellow physicians, we have to rebuild the trust for a healthy healthcare system!

Dr Adel Eldin,MD, FACC,FACP

Founder, CEO

www.brooksvillecardiology.com

Affordable Quality Healthcare Program

Founder, CEO

www.floridamedicaltourism.com

Wesley Chapel , Florida

Tel 877-DR ELDIN

LinkedIN www.dhirubhai.net/in/dreldin

Twitter. Adel Eldin @LCQHealthCare

President ,Society of Physician Entrepreneur, Tampa Bay Chapter

www.sopenet.org