It’s very frustrating to feel like your doctor won’t listen to you. It’s also a very common complaint. People often say that they think they’re being ignored or that the doctor isn’t taking them seriously.
It’s important to know that this happens so that you can take steps to overcome the problem when you meet with your doctor, which can get you a better result. But it’s also interesting to consider why this happens. A few potential reasons include the following:
Your doctor is just too busy
How many appointments do they have today? Do they feel like they only have 10 minutes to talk to you? Maybe they’re not listening because they’re still thinking about the last person they saw or because they’re watching the clock and trying to get to the next appointment.
Your doctor has already come to a conclusion
Sometimes, a healthcare professional may make a snap conclusion immediately and not be interested in all the other information that you have to provide. That could be why they’re ignoring your symptoms or acting like your account may not be accurate. They’ve already decided what they think is going on, even if they’re wrong about it.
The doctor thinks you’re imagining it
Easily one of the most frustrating things is when you can tell that the doctor thinks that all of your symptoms are just in your head. Not only does this discount the way you feel, but it means that the doctor isn’t going to dig into those symptoms nearly as well as they should.
No matter why you believe that your doctor didn’t listen to you, if it has led to a serious mistake, you need to know about your rights to a medical malpractice claim.