Health
Full Disclosure
Why being honest with your doctor is a must By Alexis Lehtonen
D
o you always tell your doctor the truth — the whole truth? If you’re like most Americans, you probably don’t. According to a recent study, four out of five people withhold important information from their healthcare providers. Omitting key details could actually be harmful to your health. For instance, what if you fail to mention a supplement or over-the-counter product you take? Your doctor might accidentally prescribe a drug that could have a dangerous interaction. Likewise, leaving a lifestyle choice such as smoking out of the conversation could keep your doctor from diagnosing you accurately. “Unfortunately, it is rather common for patients to not tell us something important,” says Christine Liu, MD, family medicine physician on the medical staff at Methodist Richardson Medical Center. “Typically it’s a situation where they don’t think that a piece of information is relevant to their visit or they believe that we already know of a change in their healthcare plan from another provider.” Dr. Liu has noticed that the most commonly withheld details tend to be about one of two things: medications or potentially harmful lifestyle choices. Dosage changes, new medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements, smoking, excessive drinking, illegal substances, medication abuse — all of these are important details your doctor needs to know. Why do patients lie? There are a variety of reasons why patients leave out information. Some of the most common reasons include: • Not wanting to be judged or lectured • Not wanting to hear how harmful a behavior is • Feeling embarrassed to admit something • Not wanting the doctor to think that you’re a difficult patient • Not wanting to take up more of the doctor’s time • Feeling like the information isn’t relevant 24 • The CONNECTION • April/May 2020
• Not wanting the information to appear on your medical record • Not wanting to make a difficult lifestyle change that the doctor might recommend. These reasons are understandable, but are they worth the risk? In order for your doctor to make safe and effective decisions regarding your health, they need to know all the facts so don’t hold back. Working together for your well-being Both physicians and patients play a role in making sure that patients disclose as much information as possible. Dr. Liu believes there would be a significant shift in the flow of information between patient and doctor if more doctors made a commitment to consistently remind their patients that they are here to help, not make judgments. “For example, there is this myth that if you tell your doctor about illegal drug use, they will report you,” Dr. Liu says. “The only time a doctor is required to report drug use is when dangerous behavior is present or there are minors in the patient’s home. Our main focus is your personal well-being.” It’s the job of patients to share all relevant information, and one of the biggest challenges is remembering. “I encourage patients to bring notes from other doctor appointments, lists of questions or symptoms, a bag with all of their medications — anything that can help give me a thorough picture of their healthcare,” Dr. Liu says. Finding a doctor that’s right for you It’s important to find a provider whom you feel comfortable talking to and can trust. The more at ease you are and the more know you’re being heard, the more likely you are to share all the information that matters. Get to know the doctors on our medical staff at MethodistHealthSystem.org/FindADoctor. • Texas law prohibits hospitals from practicing medicine. The physicians on the Methodist Health System medical staff are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System.
