Dooley Noted: 3/30/2014
I had a patient come to me recently, who gave me permission to discuss her recent trip to her general practitioner.
She described how the doctor noted he was perplexed by her issue. She was shuttled to a specialist. Then, she was shuttled to another therapist.
Waiting for an appointment with a therapist can take weeks – even months. In this time, she researched her condition and had many questions.
She went to the appointment with the specialist, who used big fancy terms she didn’t understand.
When she’d ask questions, he’d answer around them. When she made valid causes for concern, he replied with comments, like, “How do you know about that?”
She said, “I feel like I’m playing a game right now. I just want to know what’s wrong and what I can do.”
When people don’t have solid answers, they may try to play the Outsmarting Game to dodge you. My patient was smart herself, and didn’t fall for it.
Her wait time to see the specialist was a blessing. It gave her time to get educated and prepare inquiries.
If this is the Information Age, then use it. Learn about your presentation and go into your appointment armed with knowledge -and questions.
You might find yourself smarter, and less susceptible to being outsmarted.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley