The doctor is in

IT CAN be just a recurring headache that you complain about occasionally. Somebody tired of this griping may suggest — why don’t you see a doctor?

Which doctor to see is determined by referrals from friends including relatives in the medical profession. The specialization is supposed to match the discomfort being experienced — I have this sense of vertigo every time I wake up and check my bank deposit balance online.

Seeing a doctor for consultation is seldom time-bound the way a business meeting or even a social gathering usually is. A confirmed appointment to see the doctor needs to be given some leeway in terms of precision. A one-hour delay from the expected medical consultation’s end is routine. So, it’s best not to schedule anything else two hours after the expected end of the visit.

The doctor does not have full control of his schedule, except perhaps when planning for his vacation out of the country. Who can predict when some patient will need his services immediately or how long that will take? (Can you just come back on Thursday?)

Only doctors involved in optional procedures like a dental implant or stem cell treatment can have a more predictable schedule. Also, doctors in demand usually hold clinic hours in different hospitals and at different days and times. They may be in one of the designated venues, diagnosing a difficult case which can overlap with the start time of the next clinic stop.

The first-time consultation with a doctor seldom connotes urgency. So, queueing protocols follow the same one for taxis and airport check-ins, using the first-come-first-served model, including those who arrive before the actual clinic hours and log in, before taking their breakfast downstairs.

When the secretary takes your weight, height, and blood pressure, you are sure to be next in line. Is the blood pressure above normal? It must be the result of the “white coat syndrome.” This psychological anxiety comes from the mere sight of a doctor and what possible diagnosis he will render. The worst-case scenarios are always at the top of the mind.

The time speeds up as soon as the receptionist calls out your name — the doctor will see you now. Here at last is the person one waited to see.

There is no time for small talk on the traffic or distant relatives. The doctor checks the blood pressure taken by the secretary. Then it’s straight to the questions about the complaint and how long this has been going on. There follows the obligatory stethoscope procedure. (Breathe deeply. Hold it. Exhale.)

A seemingly healthy individual, walking on his own and not being wheeled in with a trailing dextrose bottle, but still needing to see a medical specialist, must be asked what his problem is. The interview, which is what the initial consultation is all about, delves on complaints, observed disorders, and particular pains that recur.

Maybe the doctor asks the patient to stand up for a cursory physical examination or even lie down on a bed — please pull your pants up. More questions and answers follow. A possible scenario is discussed on ailments and procedures that will need to be considered. And then, like a power point presentation, the last slide calls for “next steps.” These are written down for the patient or his companion to handle.

There are instructions given on medicines and tests that need to be taken to have a proper diagnosis of the ailment. A list is provided without the corresponding costs. These tests may include blood sampling, MRI, maybe a treadmill session.

Are you sleeping well? Do you snore? (The wife is asked for her inputs.) There may be a sleep test that may indicate an undiscovered case of sleep apnea. The need for equipment and medication may follow.

The patient then goes out to pay the consultation fee to the receptionist, net of the senior discount. She then calls for the next one in line — the doctor will see you now.

On the second visit, this time with the test results in hand, comes the dreaded comment from the doctor — I have some good news and bad news. (Which one do you want to hear first?)