Navigating Healthcare Pt 1 - Introduction

Navigating the Medical System: Building Trust and Finding the Right Provider

For many individuals unfamiliar with the medical system and how it operates, the experience can be intimidating. Visiting the doctor can feel a lot like visiting the dentist—cold, impersonal, and uncomfortable. Many people struggle with the fear of being judged or criticized by a professional or even another individual. In some ways, it feels like going on a date where the power dynamic is unequal.

Unfortunately, many aspects of the medical industry contribute to this perception. Walking into a sterile environment does little to put patients at ease. Sitting in an exam room while a provider enters wearing a lab coat can make you feel more like a test subject than a human being. The interaction may feel clinical rather than conversational.

The Therapeutic Relationship

When it comes to health outcomes, one of the most important factors is the therapeutic relationship—a mutual sense of trust between the patient and their healthcare provider. Most providers, especially in primary care, are compassionate individuals who genuinely want to help. When this trust is established, it sets the tone for healing and collaboration.

However, if you find that you don’t have that trust with your provider, I strongly suggest seeking an alternative. Without trust, there is no foundation for good care.

Recognizing Implicit Bias

It’s also essential to recognize your own biases. We all carry implicit biases—subconscious attitudes, feelings, or stereotypes shaped by past experiences and cultural influences. If you find yourself distrusting your physician and can’t quite explain why, implicit bias could be playing a role.

Some individuals address this by choosing providers who look like them. But what happens when that’s not an option? Without self-awareness, bias can shift from implicit to explicit and impact the care relationship.

Choosing a Primary Care Provider

Dr. Peter Attia offers a helpful framework for selecting a primary care physician based on the 4 A’s: Advocacy, Affability, Availability, and Ability.

Advocacy

A great advocate cuts through red tape, uses their network effectively, and follows up. They act as your captain in uncharted waters. But remember, the open mouth gets fed—you are your most important advocate.

Affability

Affability is a physician’s ability to connect with you as a person. An affable provider doesn’t label you as “non-compliant” when you don’t follow recommendations perfectly. They offer a balance of grace and accountability, recognizing that no one—including themselves—is perfect.

Availability

In our on-demand world, patients expect more responsive care. Traditionally, providers expect to see about 1% of their patient panel per day. To maintain a viable practice, a primary care doctor may need to manage 2,000–2,500 patients. This model often sacrifices availability and access, making it feel like customer service in the worst way.

Ability

Perhaps the hardest to assess, ability is a mix of talent, training, experience, and access to resources. A skilled provider with limited tools is still constrained. Conversely, in resource-rich systems, patients can feel lost in the crowd. Medicine is a profession built on lifelong learning. Meeting minimum competency is just that—minimum. Most of us seek value—the best care we can access within our means.

Traits to Look For

If I had to distill the essential qualities of a great physician, they would be: curiosity, honesty, and compassion.

• Are they curious about you as a person?

• Are they curious enough to explore your symptoms when something doesn’t add up?

• Are they open to new ideas and treatments, or do they simply follow protocol without question?

• Are they a good teacher?

At the very least, interview your physician. Many patients have interviewed me, and sometimes, we both know it’s not a good fit. I’ve held on to patients too long even when I could tell our relationship wasn’t therapeutic. I’ve also been rejected by patients I thought I connected with. But I’m grateful for all of those experiences—they humble me and make me better. My patients teach me everything.

The latin root word for Doctor is “to teach,” it’s a person who is a learned or scholarly teacher. The real question you should ask yourself leaving an appointment is, “what did I learn about myself from this visit” or “did my perspective change” as a result of this encounter. The further question is, “did they use hope or fear as their primary modality to implement change?” Do they believe that I can be healthier at any age or are they just prolonging death. 

Insurance vs. Cash Pay: Traditional vs. Alternative

I now classify myself as an integrative medicine provider, a title I chose because I never felt like I had a true "home" in either the traditional or alternative system. We need both preventative holistic medicine and acute care. We benefit both from surgery, pharmaceuticals and trauma care. We also benefit from nutraceuticals, talk therapy, manual medicine, spiritual guidance, energy medicine, movement and nutritional insights. 

When it comes to choosing a model of care, my answer is usually: both. Seek the highest value. Ask: What is the least invasive, most reasonably priced intervention that will help me accomplish my health goals?

The right provider and the right system should support your journey, not complicate it. Prioritize value, trust, and connection—and the rest will follow.