Dear Counsellor:

I went to a clinic but didn't like the care I got. Now I need to go back, but I'm afraid. What should I do? You see, I need to go for my follow-up treatment and I really don't have money to go to any other place.

Worried Patient

Dear Worried Patient:

If you've had a bad experience in a clinic or doctor's office, tell them so. Think of it as any other kind of product or service, a lousy meal in a restaurant, a cable television with a crappy picture or a mouldy loaf of bread from the store. It's the same thing. You have got to speak up if you didn't get what you expected or needed. That's why patients are called 'consumers'. Even if it's a totally free service, they're there to meet your needs. Your feedback can help them to improve. After you've told them what was wrong with the service you received, listen to their response. Decide if they gave you a satisfying reason and whether you're willing to return. If not, you may want to write a letter of protest to the doctor in charge at the clinic or the Ministry of Health, and begin shopping around for a new health facility. If you decide you never want to return to that clinic or doctor, make sure you get them to release your medical records to your new doctor. You have a right to your own medical records and a right to good service.

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