Our Internist retired after his heart attack. I had partnered with him for close to 25 years and dreaded the thought of finding a new doctor.

Dr. K was perfect for us. He was an excellent diagnostician, he cared deeply for his patients, he was friendly, outgoing, and I could argue with him. The fact is we became socially friendly with Dr. K and his wife who also worked in the office.

I knew what I wanted and I was going to be careful in my selection because I knew that as I got older the chances were I would need more medical care. I wanted someone who would partner with me in my health. I was to be the captain of my health ship and the doctor was to be my navigator and my coach. And it is very important to me that my doctor be involved in prevention. Over a period of six years I went through four different doctors until I found one whose approach to medicine and his patients is very much like our previous physician.

The one physician I vividly recall was a young man who came highly recommended. His dad was a well respected physician. He was absolutely dismissive of anything I said. I got the feeling that anything coming out of the mouth of a patient who is 50 or older couldn’t possibly be worth while. I was angry but kept my mouth shut because I knew his mother, a wonderful lady.

Finding the right physician is important even if it means changing the doctor you go to now. You rely on your doctor for an accurate assessment of your health or a diagnosis of your condition. You depend on your doctor to give you valid information about your health and to know your medical history. Your doctor needs to listen to what you have to say because you’re the one who gives her feedback about how the new medication affected you. Your perception should be that your doctor cares about you and your health.

Questions to ask your doctor and advice about what to tell your doctor in my next post.

To your successful aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

Healthy Aging Coach

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