Practial Questions for Physicians Wiki
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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