Diabetes Blog Week- Day 4- The Healthcare Experience – Thursday 5/19 
Most people who live with a chronic illness end up with a lot of experience when it comes to dealing with healthcare. How would you improve or change your healthcare experience? What would you like to see happening during medical visits with your healthcare team? How about when dealing with your health insurance companies? What’s your Healthcare Wish List or Biggest Frustration? Today is the day to share it all!

Now- for most of the posts for Diabetes Blog Week- I have used the questions as my guide and how I organize my post- not so much today. Well kind of.

Most people who live with a chronic illness end up with a lot of experience when it comes to dealing with healthcare.

I have A LOT of thoughts on this. So, honestly where do I truly begin? Because within a little less than 3 years, I have been through 8 HCPs for my diabetes care- half due to logistics and the other half due to not clicking (to put it nicely). That was entirely exhausting and very upsetting for me.… and we wonder why people can go so long between appointments or don’t want to be a part of the diabetes community…

and don’t get me started on other sides of care outside of diabetes (but Boston has been so much better!)

I do wish that I had broken up with some of my care providers sooner rather than later, but even I struggle with the idea that they are a doctor, and I am not. I also like opportunities to change first impressions.

We need to own it. Own our care. Not settle.

I want to have a good relationship with my healthcare providers.

I want to not feel anxious about an appointment.

I know it’s about the diabetes, but I want the other parts of my life to recognized.

I want mutual trust and respect.

I want people to understand why people might not go to the endo as often.

I wish that more healthcare providers in the diabetes field actually had reviews on pages like health-grades- but they are far and few between.

I want the person to know me, and I want to feel comfortable with them.

And there be more of an understanding- that maybe that piece of medical equipment isn’t affordable for everyone.

I want people to understand all of what goes into the appointment- Distance. Time. Scheduling. The appointments we are supposed to also go to- that aren’t diabetes specific, but related.

I wish that mental health was incorporated more into diabetes care- actually scratch that- just life.

I wish the world realized how SES and current life situations play into care…

Now health insurance... that’s an entirely different set of feelings and emotions for me. But- when I’m interacting with an insurance company- I want to be treated like a person…

 

You see- I have a lot of thoughts on this… and I’ve heard from a lot of other people and their experiences.

 

But if I could only have one wish? I wish that everyone had a healthcare provider they felt comfortable with.

 

 

Hey you! Yes, you! 

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We’ll both be glad you did! -Mindy