As patients, all of us like to believe our doctors are together with their game -- they know everything there is to know about our particular health problem. We like to believe this because we're putting our Mta health. and our lives in their hands.

However, what we should be thinking is how can doctors stay current on all the brand new developments, knowledge and recommended treatments available? In the end, you can find so many new medical findings/reports given everyday it's impossible for anyone doctor to keep current in most regions of medicine. It's even difficult for a health care provider to keep current in one single specialized section of medicine.

Yes, doctors are required to take continuing education classes, but how many hours required each year is minimal compared to any or all the brand new medical information available each and every day. To stay current, doctors need to create a concerted effort to master what is new in their unique practicing area. Doctors who're expert lecturers even hire full-time staff to examine most of the available new medical information. That's how they stay current and can be considered experts.

The purpose of sharing these thoughts with you is, regardless of how good your doctors are there could come each day when they cannot answer your specific questions. They might not learn about a certain new treatment, may not learn about an alteration in the present standard of care. You, the in-patient, could find yourself educating your doctors about something you've read. Think this is not likely to happen, then think again! This happens much more frequently than we like to admit. Here is a typical example of a real-life situation a buddy recently distributed to me...

Sarah (not her real name) recently explained she had been feeling very tired and was gaining weight. Her doctor was running some blood tests and was checking her thyroid function. She would learn about her test results in a couple of days. A few days later she explained her blood tests came back fine, within the conventional lab ranges. I asked her what her TSH value was and she said it was 4.8. Her doctor thought they could repeat tests in about 3 months.

I was shocked to listen to her doctor thought a TSH of 4.8 was normal. I thought she was probably becoming hypothyroid. I explained to her that the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) established new guidelines in 2003 for the TSH range and the brand new normal range for TSH is now 0.3 to 3.04. Applying this narrower range, Sarah will be considered hypothyroid (not enough thyroid hormone) and will be given thyroid supplements.

I suggested Sarah visit the AACE website [http://www.aace.com/newsroom/press/2003/index.php?r=20030118] or Mary Shomon's thyroid column at http://www.about.com to master more. (Mary Shomon is the guide for thyroid issues and she provides patients with a lot of helpful thyroid information.) I encouraged Sarah to talk with her doctor now and not wait three months. Sarah's doctor was following old standards and probably didn't learn about the narrower TSH range. Her doctor was just reading the product range the laboratory provided rather than following the brand new guidelines.

Sarah's situation is simply one example of a health care provider unsure the most recent information. Just in case you get in the same situation, here are some helpful tips when educating your doctor:

Do your health homework. No real matter what doctor you see, you need to verify and discover information yourself. Go to reputable medical sources on-line and print out copies of information you want to discuss together with your doctor. Reputable medical sources are sites run by well-known doctors, organizations, or universities like http://www.webmd.com or http://www.americanheart.org. Avoid sites written by unknown individuals merely express an opinion and not verifiable facts. For rarer medical information, visit medical libraries and ask the librarian for assistance to find answers to the questions you have. Regardless of the manner in which you do your homework -- have a tough copy showing your doctor.
Ask your doctor for quite a while to answer your questions and show him or her printed material. They might want to see the specifics for themselves before they can comment. One of several scenarios should then follow: The best scenario will be for the doctor to already be familiar with the info you are providing and for you personally both to really have a thorough discussion about it. Another best scenario will be for the doctor to be unacquainted with the info and for him or her to be willing to look into if further for you personally or refer you to someone who is more knowledgeable for the reason that area. Perhaps the worst scenario will be for the doctor to be unacquainted with the info and be unwilling to take the time to discuss it with you.
Smart doctors will answer information a patient presents by either already knowing the info or by curious about more about the brand new information. Smart doctors know they can always keep learning and they are not offended by patients asking questions and providing information. They are often grateful for patients who bring important issues for their attention because it could make them treat other patients better in the future. You should seek out doctors who're willing to discuss information with you and have a true partnership relationship as it pertains to your care.
On the flip side, you must avoid doctors who're unwilling to discuss new information with you. If they are too busy to answer your questions, then you don't need them. Stay with them only long enough to find a new doctor who may have an excellent doctor-patient relationship with you. You need a doctor who has your absolute best interests in mind. Remember in the end, it's your or your loved one's health at stake.
Doctors are humans too. They genuinely want to greatly help people. That's why they went into medicine in the first place. Exactly like you, they have many time pressures on them and in this fast-paced world it's not easy to steadfastly keep up on everything new in medicine. Give your doctors the chance and flexibility to help you before you decide to move on. If they are willing to pay time answering your questions, but ask to do this at an alternative solution time or by an alternative solution means, then try being understanding and use them. Some doctors have a period through the day when they are quicker able to talk with patients by phone or some will even speak with patients via e-mail. The best solution would be to find a method to truly get your questions answered that works for both you and your doctor.
Dr. Donna Pikula can be an award-winning medical care writer and speaker who helps people become smarter patients. Smarter patients know how to get the medical care they deserve for themselves and their loved ones, while reducing their chances of suffering from medical errors. Dr. Pikula invites you to see [http://books2helpyou.com] to find out about the award-winning book After the Diagnosis: Just how to Look Out for Yourself or a Loved One and its companion notebook, My Medical Organizer. While visiting, we also encourage you to discover other SMART patient tips and sign-up for the monthly health newsletter!