Susan Payrovi, MD, shares her perspective as both an MS patient and a physician on how it is critical to advocate for yourself if your treatment plan isn’t satisfactory.
Transcript
I love this question because I think it assumes that we physicians are not open to being asked about what other things might be possible. I don’t think of it as a patient not trusting me. I think of it as a patient needing more information, and getting information from another trusted source is actually really helpful in patients feeling comfortable. So it’s not an insult at all.
It doesn’t make me feel that the patient doesn’t trust me or like me. I think it can tell you that this patient is really trying hard and doing their part in making sure they’re comfortable.
Open communication with your doctor is really important. I’ve had patients sit me down and say, “Listen, what you are asking me to do is not going to work for me. Can you please suggest something different?” Or, “I need communication from you to be different—in a different mode or using different words.” And I, as a physician, don’t always know how information is received. So sometimes we need to adjust how we are communicating. Oftentimes, having another practitioner on board is really helpful. And that doesn’t mean that my knowledge is not trusted.
So be direct. Ask the question, and you can even preface it by saying, “You know, this is really hard for me to ask you. And it’s not that I don’t trust you, but I feel like I need more information.” Be honest. Ask for what you need. This is something I tell my patients all the time: people can’t always guess what you need. You need to really say it like it is.
If you feel that the team is not moving fast enough, ask them why that is, because maybe your perception is different from what the medical team believes is the right approach. Perhaps there is a reason for waiting. If not, and you’re not given a reasonable answer as to why treatments are not being provided at a reasonable rate, then you might need another doctor.
There are studies that actually show that how we engage with our doctors has a lot to do with our health outcomes. Having a doctor who’s caring and supportive, listens to you, and communicates openly can be one really important factor in your overall wellness and having a good outcome. So don’t underestimate the power of your health care team to influence your health outcomes beyond the medications and treatments they recommend for you.
