Insurance Help for Palmetto State Businesses

Robin DiMatteo, a researcher at the University of California at Riverside, says concern about insulting doctors is the main reason patients have trouble ending bad patient-physician relationships.

And "fear of the unknown" is why many patients don't speak up.

DiMatteo's five ways to know it's time to leave are: when your doctor gets upset when you ask questions; when your doctor doesn't listen to you; when your doctor can't explain your illness or condition to you in language you understand; when you feel bad after you leave the doctor's office; or when you don't like the doctor or believe they don't like you.

When it comes time to fire your doctor, he suggests using the first person plural to alleviate concerns about insulting the doctor or make the break personal.

For instance, say "We're not communicating well" as opposed to "You seem distracted or irritable with me" as reasons to take your business elsewhere.

Source: SHRM