HEALTH TOPICS 
Getting your doctor to listen
How to avoid having unnecessary tests—and getting the wrong diagnosis.
Increasing time pressures, growing patient loads, and fears of malpractice lawsuits have forced many doctors to resort to a practice of "cookbook medicine," according to Drs. Leana Wen and Joshua Kosowsky, emergency physicians at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Rather than listening to patients' personal health stories and concerns, doctors simply put them through a barrage of tests based on their main symptom.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
New subscriptions to Harvard Health Online are temporarily unavailable. Click the button below to learn about our other subscription offers.