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Wondering about my choice of medical doctor; need advice

Discussion in 'Physical & Sexual Health' started by Tightrope, Nov 15, 2014.

  1. Tightrope

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    I have now had the same therapist for about a year. I like this therapist.

    However, I also went to a new doctor when my insurance caused me to switch as a result of network reorganizations that came with the Affordable Care Act. I'm not on the Affordable Care Act, but my insurance has seen some reorganization to have its plans be in compliance with it.

    At first, I was elated. I really disliked the doctor I had prior to this. He was a respected local doctor, but a country clubber type who has lived his whole life in one place and it just didn't click. He had been at it for 30 years, so he was competent. But he suddenly became out-of-network.

    My new doctor is foreign - a mix of 2 nationalities. He is half Hispanic/half from a Caribbean country and many of his patients are Spanish speaking. We hit it off on the first and second visits. I figured that, if he dealt with people who had language issues and weren't assimilated Americans, then he'd be more liberal, or at least accepting. A more recent visit showed him to be a little more aloof, possibly because there were some questions, though handled diplomatically, about sexual and reproductive health. At any rate, because my labs were good, he pushed back the appointment to 6 months instead of the usual 4 months. He knows that my primary health care needs are more in the realm of mental health than organic health.

    So here's where I'm at. I'm wondering if, because of his cultural and religious upbringing, and being married with kids, he'd prefer not to have me as a patient. I guess the thread about "women having sex with women being seen as sexy and guys having sex with guys being seen as gross" got me thinking. I also thought about the Hispanic reaction to Obama's siding with marriage equality and how some Hispanics said they would be changing to voting GOP because of this ONE issue on these TV interviews for the news. And so I sort of "projected."

    What would you do?
    - Ignore the issue, since I only go in there every 4 to 6 months and the visits are not that involved
    - Confront him with 'hey, if you don't approve of what I do in my private life and it impedes on your allegiance to the hippocratic oath, then let me know as to whether we can work this out or not," or
    - Change doctors
     
  2. Really

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    Does he have an entry on ratemds.com? It's not the best but at least you'll see what the unhappy people have to say about him.
     
  3. Tightrope

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    On ratemds.com, no entries for him.

    On heatlhgrades.com, 12 entries making for 5 stars.

    He's a good doctor. My concern is about his attitude toward me.

    On ratemds.com, the first doctor, who has been practicing longer, has 2 entries and they are good. Amazing. But, these are always people who click with a doctor.
     
  4. Really

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    I wonder if the aloof-ness was simply him becoming more matter-of-fact due to the topic. Didn't want to risk conveying any biases. Which is probably a good thing because what you practice is not any of his business other than how it might harm your health.

    I kind of like a slightly colder bed-side manner but that's me. I'd say if he's ok in every other way, he might warm up as he gets more familiar with you. You could weigh how much you "don't like" him vs the effort to finding another doctor who may be the same or worse.
     
  5. Tightrope

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    Thank you. This is a very logical way to look at the situation. I will stay with him and try to make the situation work. It is a hassle to switch doctors. He is so much better than my last medical doctor.
     
  6. Spaceman

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    I had a great gay friendly doctor but recently moved and am having a hell of a time finding one in my new town. Internet searches turned up nothing. There's no local gay center to give referrals. The local Planned Parenthood wouldn't give me a referral. I even posted in the gay dating section on Craigslist asking for a recommendation. The only responses I got were from guys asking me to let them know if a find a good doc. Anyone got any other ideas?
     
  7. Really

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    Do either of these have some way to search on keywords? Maybe within the comments?

    ratemds.com or heatlhgrades.com

    Do you have medical registries there? If worse comes to worse, you could spend some time phoning offices and simply ask if the doctor takes lgbt patients. Just that, nothing about you. I think you'd find out pretty quickly by the receptionist's response what you'd be dealing with.