The Sign of a Good Doctor

How to know if you have a good doctor:

* Are they a good listener?

* Do they ask YOU questions and wait for the answers?

* Does he/she spend time with you and not make you feel rushed?

* Do they write a lot while you are talking or wait until you are done?

* Is their staff nice? (There is nothing better than having a nurse you are on a first-name basis with!) Are they consistently there or is it a high turnover?

* Does he/she ALWAYS give you a medication? Or sometimes suggest behavior modifications?

* Do you like him/her as a person?

I have a doctor that I ADORE. I mean I really, really like him. I respect him immensely. He is a D.O., so he can do adjustments if I need them in addition to being a medical doctor. He is everything listed above and more. He is a GREAT listener: he asks me questions about my life and circumstances. He listens to my responses and may even ask a follow up question before he starts writing on his computer. He spends so much time with me, I sometimes feel guilty. He calls me his healthiest patient (though I would question that right now with all the issues that I have had this month). His staff is very nice and accommodating. We do not take advantage of this, but being on a first name basis with his nurse does have it's advantages! He knows that I do not want a medication unless I really need it, so he will suggest alternatives if available. If I do need a med, he will give me the lowest therapeutic dose to accomplish what needs to be accomplished. Most of all I like him and RESPECT him as a person. He practices what he preaches and does not ask me to do anything that he would not do himself. I adore my doctor and am so glad that I found a good one!