Practial Questions for Physicians Wiki

Back to the main Open Thought Space

Patient as advocate: questions for physicians

Excerpted from “How Doctors Think” – Jerome Groopman, MD

Diagnosis

• What else could it be?
• Are you considering anything else?
• Is there anything that doesn’t fit?
• Could it be more than one problem?
• What other part of my body is in this area?

X-Rays

• What has changed over time?

Treatment

• Is the treatment you propose standard? Are there less invasive, simpler alternatives?
• How does your insurance reimbursement vary for the treatment options?
• How time-tested is this treatment?
• Do different specialists recommend different approaches?
• Is there another course of treatment we could try?
• What do you mean by improvement? (e.g.; cure or slight amelioration)

Prescriptions

• How did you select that drug to prescribe?
• What is the expected efficacy of the drug?
• Do you have a relationship with the drug manufacturer? Has the company ever given you…
  • any gifts, support to attend or speak at a conference, educational grants or clinical trials sponsorship?

References

• May I contact some other patients who have seen you for this condition? 
• Check doctor reviews at www.yelp.com