Have a Doctor’s Appointment? Keep These 9 Things in Mind

Posted on by Dr Shibal Bhartiya

Published in The Quint, 3 May 2018 | view original article

Here’s how you can get the most out of your visit to the doctor.

Dr Shibal Bhartiya
Updated: 

(In light of the faulty hip implant story that exploded recently, we want you as a patient to feel empowered. Whether it is an X Ray or a MRI, or an invasive procedure like hip or knee implants, or even stents, be aware, ask questions and demand answers. Send us your queries at fit@thequint.com)

Many a times, you might have walked out of your doctor’s cabin feeling disappointed and worried, shaking your head at the commercialisation of medicine, and lamenting the days of the family physician.

Chances are you’ve never had a ‘family doctor’, but that doesn’t stop you from dissing your current one who spends all of five minutes with you and leaves you with more questions than answers.

Published by Dr Shibal Bhartiya

Dr Shibal Bhartiya is a fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator, and Clinical Director at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram. She has 25+ years of experience in glaucoma diagnosis, treatment, and surgery, with a focus on early detection, personalised care, and long-term vision protection. Her other focus areas include neuro-ophthalmology and ocular surfaced diseases. Trained from the prestigious University of Geneva, AIIMS (New Delhi) and MAMC (New Delhi) she is known for her compassionate, and ethical practice in Gurgaon. She has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, including 94 PubMed-indexed publications and edited 28 textbooks in ophthalmology. She serves as Executive Editor of the Journal of Current Glaucoma Practice and Editor-in-Chief of Clinical and Experimental Vision and Eye Research. Her research spans the biology of glaucoma, surgical outcomes, health equity, quality of life, and emerging diagnostics. She collaborates with leading institutions including Mayo Clinic, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre, and Singapore National Eye Centre. In addition to comprehensive eye care for adults and children, she especially offers independent glaucoma second opinions for patients across India and abroad, and works in partnership with referring eye doctors to support complex and long-term glaucoma care as well as management of neuro-ophthalmological conditions.