[WinterRose]

I haven't gotten any response to my concerns from pdoc. If he will see patients on Saturdays, I can still see him, but I don't know if he is. I decided to write up a questionnaire for the new pdoc to see if I want to see her. I've faxed and mailed it to the office. I'm probably being bull-headed and stubborn here. But I really think I have a right to know something about the person, don't you?

What questions would you ask if you were interviewing new pdocs? (Or even a new T?) How would you select someone?

Here are some of mine:
<ul type="square">[*]What is your psychological theory?[*]What is your philosophy concerning prescribing drugs and recovery from mental illness? What other methods do you use other than prescribing drugs?[*]What do you view as being your part in mental health treatment? What do you see as the patient’s role in their mental health care?[*]What is your background and areas of expertise? How long have you been practicing?[*]What steps will you take when a patient is transferred to you from another Dr. to bring yourself up to date?[*]How will you be introducing yourself to transferred patients prior to your first meeting with them?[*]Will you work closely with the previous Dr. as a team, consulting him on the case?[*]What do your previous and current patients say about you?[/list]

[MissCharlotte]

WinterRose

I think these are all really, really good questions. It's interesting, isn't it, that all the health mags/media/consumer advocates encourage us to be really careful when choosing a physician/specialist but somehow I do't recall hearing that in relation to choosing a p-doc. I wonder of it's the "scourge" of MI. The alienation of people who use psychiatrists--because it's still something that people hide. (sigh)

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How would you select someone?

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I think I would try my hardest to get a personal reference from someone I trusted or a professional reference from a physician I knew. I really don't like picking doctors off lists because it's risky BUT I have had some success with choosing after reading bios carefully from a University Medical Center information web page. I

n the case of a p-doc, insurance may come into play but I actually did not choose a pdoc or T based on my insurance, because it's just too important a decision for me to make that way.

Good luck! I would be interested in hearing about that doctor's response to your questions or if you might have to ask them in a $paid visit. Hmmmm.

[sunrise]

Winterrose, you have some good questions there.

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WinterRose said:
How would you select someone?

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The number one thing I would do is ask my therapist for a recommendation to a pdoc. I can ask my therapist just about anything, so I would ask him what this pdoc's philosophy was, why he recommended this person, what his other clients thought of this pdoc, etc. I might also ask my primary care physician for some names of pdocs he likes to work with and ones he refers patients to. Again, I would ask him/her why.

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>[*]What is your philosophy concerning prescribing drugs and recovery from mental illness? What other methods do you use other than prescribing drugs?

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I wouldn't go to a pdoc unless I needed meds. I get my non-med help from my therapist. Are you looking for something more than meds from your pdoc (e.g. therapy)?

Probably one of the most important things I would try to assess when I met the pdoc in person is his/her willingness to work with me as a team to find the best med solution for me. I do not like the top-down, know-it-all approach, and I would expect him to listen to me, and take my concerns into account. For example, I recently went to my PCP for med help for anxiety. This is the first time I have ever taken any meds for my mental/emotional challenges. She wanted to put me on an anti-depressant she said was also good for anxiety. I told her I did not wish anti-depressants at this time as I am not depressed (I beat that problem with psychotherapy), and the one she suggested leads to weight gain (I do not need that!). She respected my wishes, and instead gave me another drug that we discussed and decided together might work well for me.

Winterrose, are you expecting the pdoc to answer the list of questions in advance of your meeting him/her? (In writing?) Or is it a courtesy list so he/she can be prepared for these questions when you meet in person?

Good luck.

[Caramee]

I thought those were great questions!

After being retraumatized by my first experience with a pdoc, I ended up going through 5 more until I felt comfortable. I was very picky too and asked a lot of questions -- if that's considered bull-headed, I'm right there with ya'! However, I did have to pay for a first visit in order to get my questions answered, and it got quite expensive since most did not accept my insurance. When I was getting discouraged (and poor!), I called one office and asked if the pdoc would talk with me on the phone for about 5 minutes before I decided to make an appt. The office staff was totally offended and said there was a long wait list and that request was unheard of, blah, blah, blah. Needless to say, I didn't go there!

Anyway, I hope your experience is better than mine and that you get some questions answered up front.

[WinterRose]

Thanks guys. Glad to hear that others don't think I'm being unreasonable. Sometimes I think I'm paranoid. I do know I'm acting under the influence of panic right now so I don't know how sane I really am.

Yes, I want the answers in advance of the meeting so that if I decide to see them we can get down to the real work and not waste time. I shouldn't have to decide based on having only someone's name and right now I don't even have that.

I do expect more than medication management. Although I have a T, I expect them to work as a team in my therapy and would like a pdoc that suggests life changes and supports me in that way rather than just passing out drugs and monitoring my physical reactions. It's not helpful. Kind of makes them into a vending machine so why see them at all in person - just ask for a prescription if that's all they'll do and go pick it up. Why waste my time or their's.

In fact, my T admits that the pdoc I have has had a major impact in my therapy in a positive way. I think she was at the point of suggesting I go to someone else when he came into the picture because we just weren't getting anywhere. So I need the two prong approach.

Plus, I guess if they aren't willing to answer the questions, if they don't care enough to do that, then maybe they aren't the right person to see. Maybe they lack the compassion I need.

Of course, all this is moot if my current pdoc will see me on Saturday's at his new office, but I'm doing my research just in case.