4 Signs for When to Fire Your Doctor

You are the boss. So if your doctor is not meeting your needs, it may be time to move on. It may be time to fire your doctor and move on. After all, our shared goal is to find “a great asthma doctor.” So, is it time for you to fire your doctor? Here are 4 signs that it might be time to move on.

Signs that it may be time to find a new asthma doctor, and fire the old one

Keeps rescheduling your appointments

Quite frankly, the most basic job of a great doctor is to be available for you. I personally look forward to my doctor’s appointments. I usually have a list of things I’d like to discuss. Recently I have had my primary care physician (PCP) cancel appointments and reschedule them for down the road. This is fine if it happens once in a while. I understand doctors are people too, and things come up. But, it’s not good when your doctor is constantly rescheduling your appointments. This may be an indicator that your doctor is way too busy to take care of you.

Is unwilling or unable to help you on the spot

My goal is to avoid going to the emergency room (ER). If I’m having a flare-up, I know I can always go to an ER. And while they give great care, they are expensive. A few years ago I paid $800 for an ER visit just so I could get a $20 prescription for prednisone. I do not think that is a good use of my money. Most of my asthma attacks require that $20 prescription for prednisone, and sometimes a $10 prescription for an antibiotic. So, if I can get in to see my doctor right away, I can stave off an asthma attack (or end it if it’s occurring) just by seeing the doctor. In my asthma past, all my doctors have been great at getting me in to be seen right away, but my current PCP seems unable or unwilling to do this. So, it makes it so I have to seek alternate routes to ending my asthma attacks. This is a sign, I think, that I need to fire my doctor.

Is unwilling to help you manage your own asthma

As the old saying goes, you know your asthma best. I know my asthma best. And I know that 40 mg of prednisone for 4-5 days works great for ending asthma attacks. I know when I need them. As part of my asthma action plan, I have traditionally had prednisone in my medicine cabinet. If I feel I need them, I take them and let my doctor know. But, my current PCP refuses to write a prescription for prednisone so I can keep it on hand. Instead, he says I need to call or email him. The problem is that he never responds to my emails. Recently this happened, and so I was forced to ask a doctor friend of mine if she would help me. And, thankfully, she did. And for that, I am thankful, as otherwise I would have had no choice but to go to the ER. But, I never would have been put in that spot if my doctor had just listened to me in the first place. So, for this reason, I think I should fire my doctor. 

Has an unfavorable personality

Obviously, there are some doctors who have the skill you need regardless of their personality. But, for those doctors you are going to have to see on a regular basis to manage your chronic illness, it’s important that your doctor have a personality that is pleasing to you. Your doctor’s personality should complement yours, at least to some degree. My current doctor (the one I plan on firing) actually has a great personality. So, if this were the only measure, I’d probably keep seeing him. He is laid back and easy to talk to, and he generally listens to me. I often have ideas to help me better control my asthma, and he generally lets me try what I want to try. For this I am grateful. However, I have, in the past, had a doctor who had an ere of bluntness and arrogance that didn’t fit well with me. I didn’t feel comfortable talking with him. So I decided to fire him and move on to a different doctor.

Time for a new doctor?

These are some reasons that I would consider when deciding to stop seeing one doctor and find a new one. So far I have only fired one doctor, and that was due to his unfavorable personality. Although, if I’m to take my own advice, I think my current doctor will be fired soon. Of course, that will stir up the challenge of finding a new doctor.

What about you? What are some reasons why you would fire a doctor? Or, have you ever fired a doctor? If so, why? Please let us know in the comments below.