“My main suggestion goes more to the structure of the time spent with the doctor: During the initial consultation, allow patients to keep their clothes on. When you stop and really think about it, the one-person-naked and one-person-fully-dressed scenario creates such a power imbalance as to be ridiculous.” — Pam Weinstein, Detroit, Mich.
“I’d advise that all medical personnel be required to have a uniform and name badge that is pinned above heart level, so patients quickly know who they’re talking to.” — Pam Horovitz, Mullica Hill, N.J.
“Rethink the constant weighing. For doctors who insist on weighing you at every visit, even for strep throat, move that scale out of the hallway and into an exam room. (One of my doctors has you weigh yourself in the exam room on a manual scale, and then leave it for a nurse to record.) And don’t weigh someone and then immediately take their blood pressure!” — Katherine Stanford, Alexandria, Va.
“I would love doctors to ask if there is any past trauma they should be aware of. It’s really hard to disclose that kind of thing, but being asked shows that there is some awareness of the impact it has, especially in medical settings.” — Leah Skrzypiec, Brooklyn, N.Y.
“Something I saw at a family practice office that should be in every medical office everywhere: When I was handed my urine cup, I was also handed a slip of paper and a pen and was instructed to read the slip of paper carefully before I gave my sample. The paper said, ‘If you are experiencing any form of abuse, please check the box next to this paragraph and hand this piece of paper to the nurse along with the urine sample. If you check the box, you will receive private advice, alone with a doctor.’” — Dez Crawford, Portland, Ore.
“I’ll never forget accompanying a friend to a radiation treatment at a major Philadelphia hospital. The waiting room was full of people of all ages, presumably all battling cancer. What struck me were the dismal gray walls of the waiting room. I have a friend who is an artist and I wanted to just go in with him and start painting a vibrant, uplifting mural; we would likely be arrested, but it would be worth it. Physicians’ offices and treatment centers can create a comforting, positive environment by using colorful paints and murals to help take the patients’ minds away from the treatment they are about to experience.” — Denice Ferko-Adams, Nazareth, Pa.
“My first gynecologist had plastered the ceiling in her exam room with photos of hunky, ‘Baywatch’-style guys. It was brilliant because it gave you something to look at (and joke about) while your insides were being prodded.” — Christina Smith Anderson, Brooklyn, N.Y.
