The Right Doctor Is Half the Treatment

Chapter 31 · Vihang Rahul Vasa

Your first line of defence is your family doctor. Never underestimate this relationship. Your family doctor has a great advantage: they have seen you over the years, they know your body well, what you are allergic to, which medicines suit you, and your overall medical history. They are the greatest universal doctors, and for me, their assessment has always carried great importance.

But a time may come when you need to escalate the situation to a specialist. When that time comes, select your diabetes specialist after a thorough discussion with your family doctor: their recommendation will be rooted in knowing you personally, not just your reports.

When choosing your specialist, keep a few practical things in mind:

• The specialist should ideally be within one to two hours’ reach from your home or workplace.

• The doctor should be available at least a couple of times a week, so that appointments are not delayed when you need them.

• Most importantly, the doctor should be contactable personally or online. This is critical: if you ever have an adverse reaction to a new medicine, you need to be able to reach your specialist quickly so they can attend to you or guide you in an emergency.

In case, due to whatever reason, neither your family doctor nor your specialist is reachable in an urgent situation, it is advisable to visit the nearest hospital with an Emergency, Trauma, A&E, or ER department immediately. Do not wait. These teams are well trained and fully equipped to handle medical emergencies. Whichever doctor you reach, hand them your medicine list and your one-page SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) report (Chapter 14): they read it in thirty seconds and know where to start.

One more thing about choosing your doctor: select carefully, but do not feel bound by your first choice. You can change your doctor multiple times until you find one in whom you have genuine faith and confidence. This is not disloyalty: it is wisdom. Your faith and confidence in your doctor can be a significant part of your treatment journey. When you trust your doctor, communicate openly, and work together, managing diabetes becomes a much more positive and effective experience. That trust is therapeutic in itself.

And one preference of my own, which I share as a preference and not a rule. For me, personal interaction with my doctor is what matters most. A doctor who talks to me, examines me, and hears my concerns first-hand, even if only for a few minutes, is more valuable to me than a long consultation conducted through someone else. Many good clinics today have a diabetes educator or a nurse who takes your history and readings before the doctor sees you; that is a proper part of care, and their questions are worth answering fully. If you are uncomfortable with any part of that arrangement, say so: a good clinic will listen. The key is to trust your doctor, and trust is built on being heard. You have the right to ask questions, understand your treatment, express your concerns, and participate actively in decisions about your healthcare.

Illustration: Chapter 31 illustrated summary. Trust shapes good care through the family doctor, questions and shared decisions, specialist referral, reachable care, a medicine list and SOAP summary, and hospital emergency care..

Chapter 31 Trust shapes good care through the family doctor, questions and shared decisions, specialist referral, reachable care, a medicine list and SOAP summary, and hospital emergency care.

Chapter at a glance: an AI-generated illustration to be read with the chapter, not instead of it. The people shown are not real.