My husband and I moved from Kansas to Chicago about 2 months ago, and that means I had to get a whole new set of doctors. I found an endocrinologist associated with the local health network and I have an appointment tomorrow at 9. I’m crossing my fingers so Dr. Benjamin will be as cool as Dr. Mercado. I haven’t asked for any references or looked for any reviews, but I hope the outcome will be good. I really don’t like being like a bouncing ball from doctor to doctor.
I like empathy, but I also like it when they tell me things like they are. I like a firm doctor, but not an asshat who’s going to treat me like I’m an idiot. And while I’m not 100% proud of my diabetes management, I have to give myself some props for the efforst. C’mon! Who passes on free Christmas cookies? Me, I did that.
Anyway, we’ll see how it goes tomorrow. First thing I need is a set of tests because my last A1C was in August.
Hey Beatriz, Good Luck! I want a Dr between the character House a great clinician and William Hurt in THE DOCTOR, who has the empathy!! Still searching…
I wish they had Build-an-Endo workshops, like Build-a-Bear! A deep grounding in clinical research and application, boatloads of empathy, integration of the need for mental health care for chronic diseases–not just lab work, sense of humor, etc. Of course, I’m sure endos would like Build-a-Patient workshops: a deep grounding in nutrition and portion size understanding, excellence in record-keeping, complete compliance with meds, daily physical activity …
The best way to find a great doctor is to talk to a nurse who works in a hospital in the right department. When I was hospitalized under the no-longer-my-doctor GP, the nurses on the floor were slipping pieces of paper into my hospital gown with my endo’s name on it. When the GP didn’t do his job my foot surgeon and the nurses in the Wound Care Center helped me put together a team to work with. Not surprisingly he suggested the same endo the nurses did and went so far as calling the office and got me in for my first visit within the week.
I’ll tell you, the nurses know who is a good clinician, who calls back when paged, who is thorough, who is caring – all the important stuff. Just ask them who they would go to see if they were diabetic. They know. When I went in recently for a test and the hospital admitting nurse saw my current GPs name, she made the comment “Oh, I just love her” I was more than too happy. The true sign of a good choice!
Good Luck! Don’t settle for anyone but the best fit – you deserve it!
