Morning Rounds: When to fire your doctor
Any employee knows that if you don't deliver at work, you can get fired.
As CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook explains, the same should go for your doctor.
Many people have experienced some of the common complaints patients can have about their doctors. These can range from inconveniences like being kept waiting too long in the waiting room, to more serious concerns like feeling that the doctor doesn't really listen when you try to talk about your health problems.
According to Dr. LaPook, if you don't feel comfortable with your doctor and the office staff -- starting from when you first call to make an appointment, through your exam and any follow-up communications that are needed -- it may be time to fire your physician. He calls the relationship between a doctor and a patient one of the most important ones you'll ever have. If you don't feel like you can communicate well with your doctor, it may be difficult to get to the bottom of complex medical problems, and that could put your health at risk.
At that point, the best thing to do is to tell the doctor's office that you've decided to seek treatment elsewhere, and ask them to send your medical records to your new doctor. While it can be an awkward conversation, that's a small price to pay for your long-term well-being.
But it's a two-way street. Doctors can fire patients too, if they can tell the relationship is not going to work out.
Watch the video to learn more from Dr. LaPook about when -- and how -- to fire your doctor.
