Posted by Larry Hoover on December 30, 2005, at 23:19:36
In reply to Getting a new GP - to lie or not to lie?, posted by Sonya on December 30, 2005, at 15:18:59
> I've got an appointment with a potential new GP. His office sent me paperwork to complete on my history. Naturally, there's a section to check if there's a history of psychiatric assessment, anxiety, depression and psychiatric hospitalization. Yup - all of them could be checked, but should I? I'm also supposed to list meds and who prescribes them (pdoc - which will give away everything anyway). I just don't want my psych history to influence a new GP's assessment of any physical complaints. I'd be very interested in what others would do.
I've been thinking about this. What if you annotated those sensitive areas of the application, with e.g. "to be discussed"? So that you have a chance to do a face to face interview. He's interviewing for the job of being your doctor, just as much as you are seeking his training and care. Ask him questions, eye to eye, about whether you'll be treated as a person with physical illness, or a mental person with other problems. Whatever suits your character, but I think you'll be able to do two good things. You can assess his responses to overt questions, but more than that, you also begin to shape your expectations of him. It could be a profoundly good investment in building the relationship you want to have.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:593492
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20051214/msgs/593638.html