It's Monday - time to take a look at something we can do to improve our health as we start the work week. Since we're also starting a new year, and some of you have mentioned improving the relationship with your current doctor or finding a new one as something you plan to do this year, let's review information about working with doctors.

We often talk about finding the right doctor for our needs and how to best work with our doctors. There are great doctors out there, but how do we find them? We all wish we had doctors like Dr. William B. Young at the Jefferson Headache Center who said, "An educated patient is a better patient. I'd far rather have a treatment partner than a dishrag." A look at our forum shows that some of our members are experiencing great success working with their doctors; some aren't meeting with success at all...

It's tough to strike the right balance when things aren't going as well as we'd like or when visiting a new doctor. We live with these bodies, suffer the pain and other symptoms. We rightfully expect our doctors to listen to us, but what approach do we use?

• The pitiful victim approach. Drag yourself into the doctor's office looking like death warmed over. Whimper a bit, and hope the doctor takes pity on you. Hmmmmmmmm. I think not.
   
• The "I am woman (or man), hear me roar!" approach. March into that doctor's office and take no prisoners. Tell that doctor that you're paying him and you expect him to listen to every word you say, answer every question, or else! No, still not quite right.
   
• How about the "I really need your help, but I know there's no silver bullet and you can't just make me well. Will you work with me take control over these headaches and migraines?" approach? Now, that just might be the approach.

Of course, it's not that simple. What's a person to do? We have some information to help you determine if your doctor is right for you, how to find a good headache and migraine doctor, a little pep talk about being a consumer of health care services, help preparing for your appointments, information about your rights to your medical records, and more...

Here are some tools and information to help you find and work with good doctors...

• Quiz: Is Your Doctor Right for You?
  Is your doctor right for you? We all know the right doctor is essential. Take our quiz to see if your doctor is right for you or if you should be looking for a new doctor!
   
• Article: Patients- We Are Consumers and Customers
  When you go shopping, would you continue to shop in a store where you're dissatisfied with the product or the attitude of the sales associates? I think not. Why? Because we don't spend our hard earned dollars on unsatisfactory products or bad customer service. Thus, when we consider that a patient is a consumer, a customer of health care services, I would propose that if we aren't receiving the medical care we feel we need, it's time to purchase those health care services elsewhere.
   
• Article: Time for a New Doctor?
  If your doctor is dispensing incorrect information, your communication with him/her isn't good, or if your treatment isn't progressing, it may be time to consider a new doctor. Optimal healthcare is achieved with a team approach where you and your doctors work as a team, making joint decisions. Remember, it’s your health — YOU’RE the boss!
   
• Guide To Visiting a New Doctor
  Helpful information and sample questions for preparing for a visit with a new doctor or for any appointment for which you could use some help.
   
• Your Rights To Your Medical Records Under HIPAA
  Our medical records are the method by which our current doctors follow our health and our health care. They're also important to provide background if you need to see a specialist and to bring new doctors up-to-speed. Our medical records are the records of the people with whom we literally entrust our lives. Let's explore some of the issues regarding medical records.
   
• Coping With Busy Doctors
  We're all familiar with the problems of too few doctors, problems communicating with doctors, busy doctors who seem to cut appointments short. How can we get the most from our appointments with these doctors so we can better manage our headaches and migraines? Here are some tips.
   
• Headache and Migraine Care - As it SHOULD Be
  People with migraine Disease, Cluster Headaches, and other headache disorders often encounter problems getting proper and respectful treatment. Headache specialists and clinics can be the answer.
   
• Keeping a Headache and Migraine Diary
  One of the most helpful tools for you and your doctors is a Headache and migraine Diary. It’s useful to track triggers, the effectiveness of meds, and patterns to your headache pain. There are many ways to do this, but for the purpose of your doctor reviewing it, printed pages are usually preferable to a bound journal. We have a diary ready for you to print our download to use on your computer.

The bottom line here?

Don't give up. The doctors who don't listen, won't answer questions, etc., don't represent all doctors. They're not good representatives of the profession at all. There are great doctors out there who will listen to us, treat us with respect, and help us toward our goal...

Our Goal?

I believe our ultimate goal should be for us to control our health issues rather than them controlling us. More than that... I fully believe and am a living example that it can be done! Don't give up. We're always here to share information and support each other. Please feel free to join us in our forum for information and support.

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"Healthy Monday," is a project of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.