Can you trust doctors?

Mistrust in the medical profession, especially during emergencies like the COVID pandemic, can have serious, even deadly consequences as we have seen over the past 18 months. Many people today try to avoid visiting a doctor unless it’s absolutely necessary. Instead, they’re more likely to get their healthcare from urgent care clinics or even urgent care apps, or from surfing the internet. 

While these resources are valuable, they certainly can’t replace a personal physician who regularly monitors your health and is familiar with your medical history. They also can’t replace the years of rigorous schooling that go into becoming a doctor. 

Pursuing a medical degree is a very serious commitment that isn’t entered into lightly; it marks the beginning of a lifelong commitment to fighting disease and promoting the health and welfare of members of our society. A minimum of 12 years of education is needed to train a doctor: a four-year bachelor’s degree, four years of medical school, a one-year hospital internship, and then three to seven years of residency training and, potentially, a fellowship.

Unfortunately, over the past 20 or 30 years, patients have found that the healthcare system in the U.S. has become more and more impersonal and difficult to navigate. There is a significant portion of the population that doesn’t have a primary care doctor. One of the contributing issues to this phenomenon is that many Americans don’t trust doctors or the healthcare system. According to a Gallup poll taken in 2014, less than 25% of people who were polled expressed confidence in the U.S. healthcare system. 

So, can you trust your doctor?

Most doctors are exceptional

Trusting your doctor is essential to the overall quality of your health and wellness. You should feel comfortable when it comes to discussing your health and medical concerns with your doctor, having them perform medical evaluations, prescribe treatments for any medical conditions, order the proper diagnostic tests, and refer you to specialists should that be necessary. 

If you have concerns about your doctor, what, as a patient, can you do? The easiest thing is to go online and do some research. There are a variety of websites that provide information about a doctor’s education, area(s) of specialty, memberships in professional organizations, and their experience. There are also doctor and practice-rating websites where patients share reviews and their experiences with a doctor or practice. 

While stories about unethical doctors are cause for concern, the fact is that the majority of doctors are honest and ethical professionals who put the best interests of their patients first. 

Don’t let a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch

So, should you trust your doctor? The majority of times the answer is “yes.” However, if you feel that you have suffered an injury or harm due to negligence or carelessness on the part of a physician, including your family doctor, you may have a claim for medical malpractice and should contact an attorney who has knowledge of California’s medical malpractice laws and experience in litigating medical malpractice cases.

Not sure if your injury resulted from medical malpractice. Check out some of the most common examples of medical malpractice on our website.