If you’ve been dealing with unpleasant symptoms for a while, it’s understandable that you want to get treated as quickly as possible. However, it’s usually unrealistic to expect your doctor to correctly diagnose you on the first visit. Even relatively simple conditions like vitamin deficiencies can’t be detected without a blood test, which takes time to process. It’s important to be patient with your care team as they work with you to resolve your health issues. Here are 7 reasons why quality medical treatment takes time.
1. Specialist Visits May Be Required
Your family doctor is usually the first stop when you have a medical problem. However, they may not be able to diagnose and treat your condition if it ends up being complicated. Certain health problems like kidney and heart disorders may require ongoing specialty care. Experts like cardiologists and nephrologists usually receive additional training on specific body systems, enabling them to provide targeted care for complex diseases.
2. Further Testing May Be Needed
Some health issues like rashes can be diagnosed with a visual exam. However, most of the time your doctor will probably need to run further tests to diagnose you. Even a simple blood test usually takes time to process, so you shouldn’t expect your doctor to diagnose you correctly on the first visit. That’s especially true if you need more specialized tests like an ultrasound or X-ray. Additionally, your doctor may need to wait a while and retest you to confirm your diagnosis, as is often the case with diabetes.
3. Some Conditions Are Notoriously Difficult to Diagnose
Some health problems like autoimmune diseases are notoriously difficult to diagnose. Because the main symptoms are present in many other conditions, doctors often have to go through a longer process of elimination to diagnose autoimmune diseases. Finding out you have lupus or rheumatoid arthritis usually requires several visits to different doctors and multiple tests. Because of these diagnostic challenges, it can take an average of 4.5 years for patients with autoimmune diseases to receive definitive answers.
4. There May Not Be Enough Time
Studies have shown that primary care physicians are stretched thin and don’t have enough time to meet all the needs of patients. According to the University of Chicago, doctors would need 26.7 hours in the day to see and treat an average number of patients satisfactorily. Due to overscheduling, you probably shouldn’t expect your doctor to correctly diagnose you on the first visit. Follow-up visits will often be required for more complex conditions that can’t be diagnosed without a thorough examination and patient history.
5. False Negatives Are Possible
Another factor that complicates the diagnostic process is that lab tests aren’t always perfect. Although most blood and laboratory tests are very accurate, inconclusive results are still possible. Sometimes blood tests can also produce a false positive or negative. False negative test results are more common when a disease is in its very early stages. This is one of the reasons you shouldn’t expect your doctor to correctly diagnose you on the first visit.
6. Diseases Can Present Differently in Each Patient
Doctors can sometimes have trouble diagnosing patients who present differently than the norm. Diseases can produce different symptoms depending on your age, gender, and other factors. If your case is unusual and deviates from the textbook diagnostic criteria, you may wait longer for answers. Plus, sometimes patients don’t always communicate their symptoms in the best way possible. When patients accidentally leave out important information, it can stall the diagnostic process.
7. Sometimes a Second Opinion Is Needed
Although doctors are expertly trained and highly experienced, they’re still human. Mistakes and oversights are possible, so sometimes a second opinion is needed. As a patient, you shouldn’t expect your doctor to correctly diagnose you on the first visit. But if you aren’t making headway after a few meetings, it may be best to find another doctor who specializes in the symptoms you’re experiencing.
You Should Always Feel Heard
Even if your doctor is struggling to reach a conclusive diagnosis, you should still feel heard and cared for. If your doctor seems dismissive or downplays your symptoms, it may be best to find a different provider. It’s important for you to trust and have full confidence in your healthcare team. If you have concerns that aren’t being addressed, you’re within your rights to find a new doctor.
The post Unreasonable Expectations: 7 Reasons You Shouldn’t Expect Your Doctor to Correctly Diagnose You On The First Visit appeared first on Kellys Thoughts On Things.