Chapter 42, Page 4

When to Change Doctors

Because infertility is often a long drawn-out process, anger is a natural result - and often this is transferred to your doctor. However, constantly changing doctors or doctor-shopping can be counterproductive! If the quality of care you are receiving is good, be cautious about changing doctors - a doctor who knows you and your infertility problem well can be of significant help to you.

Changing doctors is never easy, because, over a period of time you do build up a personal relationship with your doctor. However, you should consider changing doctors if you feel that:
The doctor is incompetent (i.e., he has ignored obvious symptoms, missed a diagnosis, prescribed the wrong drug, or can't get to the bottom of your problem);
The doctor does not communicate with you effectively (i.e., his explanations are not in lay person's language or no time is given to you to ask questions and bring up related problems);
The doctor does not pay attention to your needs and concerns;
You have lost confidence in the doctor's skill and ability.
You find the doctor is too inconsiderate (i.e., he makes you wait a long time for an appointment, he fails to return your phone calls, he does not provide clinic time during evening or weekend hours); and
Your doctor is too expensive.

A common problem patients face is that when they go to a new doctor, he insists on repeating all the tests all over again. While this can be frustrating and expensive, it can be helpful as well, because it allows the doctor to reassess your problem with a fresh perspective. Please ask your doctor to explain why he needs to repeat the tests, and how this will help in your treatment. If tests have already been done, but are more than a year old, or if they have been done from an unreliable lab, you may need to repeat some of these again.

It is all too common to find that infertility clinics do not provide complete medical treatment details to their patients. They often do this in order to make sure that the patient remains with them, and does not go to another doctor. This is very unfair - remember that your medical records are your property, and you are entitled to a copy of them.

You may find that your new doctor criticizes the treatment your previous doctor provided. Remember that doctors do have big egos, and they are often intensely competitive and critical of each other. This can upset you, because you may start feeling that you were given substandard medical care. As long as you have a clear understanding of what was done to you and why, you should ignore this criticism - don't let it disturb you. Anyone can be wise with hindsight - and do remember that all doctors will try to do their best to help you to get pregnant!

Many doctors will repeat exactly the same treatment the previous doctor has administered - often because they have nothing better to offer! However, remember that even though you have changed your doctor, you have remained the same - and the purpose of changing doctors should be to allow you to progress further with your treatment.

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Credits: How to Have a Baby: Overcoming Infertility