Imagine you’re a doctor. Can you imagine how it would feel be to know that if many of your patients had dropped in regularly, they’d not be sat in front of you right now ill or dying? Man, that must suck.
You can – and should – go to your GP when you’re well for preventive care. You don’t have to have a specific question – they’ll be able to think of something good and useful for you to take away: tips for examining your boyfriend’s balls / girlfriend’s breasts for cancer, for example, would strengthen and lengthen many a relationship.
Go back to imagining you’re a doctor. Imagine how cool it would be if patients came in trying to help you help them. If they brought along any medications they take, and knew their own and family medical history… it’d be so very much better than it is now when people go to the Emergency Department with a sore throat.
Teach yourself and others more about how the health system works and you’ll get a better service, and save doctors everywhere a heap of time and frustration.
NB. Today’s GFI was written by a real GP who really wants you to help her do her job better. Since she’s become a doctor she’s realised that we aren’t taught how to help doctors to help us. One of the reasons our health system is so inefficient is that the patients and their families (“consumers”) often have no idea how to go about using the health system effectively.