Medical treatment is not cheap in the United States, so it is only natural to expect at least a few things from your doctor and other medical staff to inspire confidence in the patients. On that note, let us now discuss five signs that generally indicate the fact that the doctor’s office you are visiting is a dependable practice.
The Credentials
The doctor’s degrees, qualifications, and the license to practice should either be mounted on the wall or placed on a table. The point is that all the documents should be in an easily viewable section of the office so that patients know the doctor has an active license to practice.
Hygiene
You wouldn’t be wrong if you were a little paranoid about the doctors and the staff washing their hands each and every time they decide to touch you for examination purposes. After all, you have no idea how many other patients with what kind of diseases they have checked just before examining you. If you notice that they are not being hygienic, gently ask them to do what is necessary.
The Staff
A good doctor should at least have a nurse, a medical scribe, a receptionist and a janitor to assist him/her at all times during work hours. You should also check to see if the clinic appears understaffed because it could mean delays in attention, hurried sessions with the doctor, and involuntary neglect.
Does He Lead a Healthy Lifestyle?
This point is one that needs to be approached with care. Doctors are human beings and they can succumb to diseases just as we do, and maybe even more so because they literally spend their lives surrounded by sick people! Nevertheless, a doctor’s own lifestyle reflects his attitude towards health in general. See if you can find satisfactory answers to the following questions at a doctor’s office.
- Does he/she look fit or badly out of shape?
- Does he/she have an ashtray lying about?
- Are there health magazines or any other health literature around the office that is up to date?
- Does his/her office look clean and hygienic?
- Does the office have a steady supply of drinking water for everyone?
A doctor who looks like he/she is invested in his/her own health is someone you can trust to give you better advice about health maintenance rather than someone who does not practice what they preach. Besides, a doctor who smokes can hardly be taken seriously when he/she tells a patient to quit!
Pleasant Experience
Even if the healthcare is free, medical staff are supposed to be courteous, but in most cases, it’s not free, therefore making it mandatory for each and every employee in the office to be polite and helpful towards their patients. If your general experience with them isn’t a good one, your healthcare experience will likely not be that great either.
There are of course other things at play also, like the reputation of the doctor or the clinic, but if you can check every one of these little points on the list, chances are that you are already in good hands.
