The doctor-patient relationship is one of the more important ones in modern society. Not only do you rely on your chosen physician to treat you, but you also must share potentially sensitive information with him or her.
If you sustain an on-the-job injury or develop an occupational illness, your employer may have some say in selecting the physician who sees you. Still, if you notice certain signs, it is likely time to find a new workers’ compensation doctor.
1. The doctor has made up his or her mind
Few things are more frustrating than having a doctor refuse to address ongoing pain or other medical concerns. To get the most out of your medical appointments, you may want to keep an injury journal. In this journal, record the following:
- Pain
- Work and lifestyle limitations
- Side effects from treatment or medications
After reviewing your journal with you, your workers’ compensation doctor should try to address your concerns. If he or she does not, your existing doctor-patient relationship may have deteriorated.
2. You are not feeling better
Recovering from a work-related injury or illness may take a considerable amount of time, but you should be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. If your doctor’s treatment plan does not seem to make you improve, you may not be receiving adequate care from your current workers’ compensation doctor.
3. You need specialist care
If you are not feeling better after treatment or have a complicated occupational injury or illness, you may need to see a specialist. Your workers’ compensation doctor should be sensitive to this fact.
If your doctor refuses to refer you to a different physician or otherwise fails to treat you properly, you may have limited time to find a doctor who will.
