Have you ever been to a doctor to consult on your medical conditions and been very uncomfortable or got the impression that they didn’t know you or didn’t understand you or there was just a lack of communication? Have you ever gotten nervous traveling outside of the country and felt like you did not know how to make sure you were asking the correct questions or investigating the right things?
Below we listed a few questions you might find helpful to answer all these and more questions to Help you feel comfortable and secure about your choices.
- How long have you been practicing?
- How many of these procedures have you done?
- What hospital do you use and is your hospital accredited by Joint Commission international or a similar body?
- Are you board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties, or a member in good standing from any one of the following colleges: Royal New Zealand College of Practitioners, Royal College of Great Britain, College of Physicians of Canada, The Royal Australian College of Physicians or similar entity?
- Where did you do your medical school and residency or advanced specialty training and when?
- Can you share your data on successfully completed procedures and mortality data?
- When investigating or searching the Internet will there be any negative publicity or concerning findings?
- How is aftercare arranged – especially if I am not able to communicate due to anesthesia?
- Will there be a translator proficient in medical jargon available to help with communication?
- Will I be provided with a preliminary visit to explain the detail of the procedure and allow question and answers?
- Will I be greeted at the airport and be provided transportation to visit with you and your staff as well as to the convalescing location post operatively?
- Can I take a tour of your operating facility, the hospital that you use and your office?
- What about amenities and conveniences? – is there a concern for electrical outage or recurrent computer malfunctions? Do you have a generator to mitigate electrical outages?
- How are emergencies handled? how reliable, efficient and timely is the ambulance first responder system?
- Will all my bills be consolidated or am I to expect bills from multiple entities?
- Are the bills itemized or bundled in ways difficult to understand?
- With my program all expenses have been paid so there should be no reason for other expenses to be accounted for, is this correct?
- I have other medical conditions, who is going to consult on my case to help manage these conditions to prevent complications?
- If I need to speak with someone after the procedure, how difficult will that be and who will I be speaking with – the doctor or nurse or another person?
- Do you carry malpractice insurance and what is the coverage?
- In my culture there are some limitations to male and female interaction even if between a physician and patient, will you respect my wishes when conveyed to you and are you able to accommodate?
