CHOOSING

THE RIGHT
HEALTH SERVICE
PROVIDER
LET'S START
Given the following situations, who
do you think is the best to
approach for advise? Why?
1. difficulty in understanding an
assignment
2. problems with your crush
3. a cough that won't go away
LET'S MOVE AHEAD
A constant dilemma facing the
health consumer is finding the
appropriate health provider, a person
whose profession is related to health or
medicine. Aside from doctors and
nurses, nutritionists, barangay health
workers, midwives, physical therapists
are also some of the health service
providers.
Finding the Right Health Provider
Choosing the right health provider is a
matter of safety. It is important to
remember that among the many health
service providers, only doctors are trained
and licensed to provide accurate details on
the diagnosis and management of diseases
of a patient. Therefore, any medical concern
should be addressed eventually through a
consultation with a doctor.
Also, only doctors are allowed to perform
surgeries and other invasive procedures
such as those involving the injection of
medicines or vaccines. Sometimes, other
paramedical personnel such as nurses may
perform surgery and administration of
drugs provided that they are under the
supervision of a doctor or in the event of an
emergency or as a life-saving measure.
 Unfortunately, in many rural areas, doctors
are not readily available. People from the
community can get free basic medical health
information, first aid, and services such as
blood pressure monitoring, in barangay
health stations. These stations are manned
by barangay health workers and midwives.
For health concerns that are not improving
after a visit to a barangay health station, the
public can go to local health centers which
are bigger facilities.
 Health centers are usually headed by
a doctor with the help of nurses and
nursing assistants. For more
complicated or emergency health
concerns, a patient from a barangay
health station or health center can be
referred to a more specialized hospital,
where medical specialists can give
appropriate care.
LET'S KEEP IN MIND
A lot of common illnesses such as
common cough and colds can be
managed in health centers. A lot of
services here, such as immunization,
are free. We should maximize the use
of health centers so that illnesses will
not develop complications and that
people will not be congested in higher
level medical facilities.
 In urban areas, people have the option to visit
clinics situated in malls where they can consult with
different doctors for a fee. Some of these clinics also
have mini laboratories. Mall-based clinics have
become popular because patients can roam, dine,
and shop before or after their medical appointment.
Big hospitals, whether government-owned or
private, offer more specialized and extensive
services. These centers have laboratory equipment
and treatment facilities that cannot fit in health
centers and mall-based clinics. A bigger team of
medical professionals are also in hospitals to
address the complex needs of a patient.
LET S KEEP IN MIND
You have to see a doctor to get the right diagnosis
and treatment for your health concern.
When looking for the appropriate doctor, one can
be guided by the reason for the consultation. In the
medical field, this is called the chief complaint. Almost
always, a doctor will ask questions related to the chief
complaint to narrow down the diagnosis or the
reason for the illness. Below is a list of some chief
complaints and the possible specialist doctor to best
address the complaint. Notice that some complaints
can be under the expertise of several doctors. This is
the reason why a patient may be referred to several
doctors.
DOCTOR CHIEF COMPLAINT
1. Allergologist rash
runny nose
wheezing
2. Cardiologist Chest pain
Palpitation
Dizziness
3. Dermatologist Rash
Crumbly nails
Hair loss
Genital discharge and growths

4. Endocrinologist Excessive sweating

Excessive thirst
Palpitation
Weight loss

5. Family physician General complaints of children and adults

6. Gastroenterologist abdominal pain

Blood in the stool
vomiting
7. Geriatrician General complaints in adults above 60 years old
Complete the table by filling the appropriate complaint for each doctor.

DOCTOR CHIEF COMPLAINT

8. Hematologist

9. Infectious disease specialist

10. Neurologist

11. Obstetrician-Gynecologist

12. Oncologist

13. Ophthalmologist
DOCTOR CHIEF COMPLAINT

14. Orthopedic surgeon

15. Othorhinolaryngologist

16. Pediatrician

17. Psychiatrist

18. Rehabilitation medicine specialist

19. Rheumatologist

20. Surgeon
 General practitioners, or doctors who do
not go into residency training, can also
effectively manage medical cases. However,
whenever a patients case is beyond the
expertise of any doctor, the doctor is
expected to refer to a colleague who can give
input or offer better care to the patient. After
examining a patient, doctors are also trained
to determine which paramedical professional
such as a physical therapist, occupational
therapist, or speech pathologist, a patient
must be referred.
 One way to ascertain the competence
and credibility of a health provider is by
looking at the academic certificates posted
at the doctor's clinic or office. To know if
a person is a duly licensed doctor, look for
the certificate given by the Professional
Regulation Commission (PRC). Next, look for
the certificate testifying the completion
of residency requirements from a reputable
hospital.
Since this certificate only tells you that the doctor
finished residency, check for the certificate that
shows the doctor passed a specialty board exam.
This exam is usually given by one of the eight
specialty divisions or specialty societies listed in the
Philippine Medical Association (PMA) website.
Certificates from affiliate societies of the PMA do
not necessarily indicate that a doctor is a specialist.

Sometimes there is a confusion regarding which

doctors to choose from because of the overlap of
the things doctors study. Let us now clarify some
common misconceptions on the role of certain
medical occupations.
*Optometrists develop lenses for eye glasses
while ophthalmologists are doctors that
diagnose and treat diseases of the eye.

*An otorhinolaryngologist is a doctor that

manages diseases of the ears, nose, and
throat (ENT). Previously, the eyes were part
of this specialty but eye concerns have
been transferred to the field of
ophthalmology.
*A surgeon who specializes on the head and neck have
overlap functions with an ENT doctor and ophthalmologist.

*Dentists can also perform surgeries on the head although

they are limited to the oral cavity.

*Plastic surgeons reconstruct body parts by transferring

tissue to another location for functional or cosmetic
purposes while cosmetic surgeons deal specifically with
surgery that is focused more on beauty rather than function.
*Aesthetic doctors can be surgeons or other types of doctors
who perform cosmetic procedures such as nose and face lifts,
botulinum toxin injections, liposuction, and laser therapy.
*Dermatologists on the other hand are medical doctors
who specialize on the skin, hair, and nails.
Dermatologists have overlap functions with other
specialists because they can also perform minor
surgery and also do beauty procedures.

However, doing beauty procedures does not equate

with being a dermatologist.
A certified dermatologist in the Philippines should be a
member of the Philippine
Dermatological Society.
Health Financing Organizations
Choosing a legitimate health service provider can
be tricky at times. When you have chosen the right
one, the cost for consultations, laboratory work up,
and treatment can be the next level of challenge.
Almost every year, there is an increase in the cost of
health services.
Fortunately, health insurance helps people pay for
costs of healthcare especially when there are
unexpected health emergencies. Some health
insurance may be bundled with a life insurance that
covers financial investments, accidents,
hospitalizations, and death. Banks and insurance
companies offer such legitimate packages.
 There are also many private organizations that
offer insurance for health specifically. These are called
health maintenance organizations (HMO). An
individual chooses to pay a certain fee for a set of
health services from the HMO. Usually, the higher
the fee, the more services that are included. Some of
the popular HMOs are Maxicare and Intellicare.
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or
PhilHealth is a government-run
health financing institution that aims to ensure
affordable, acceptable, available, and
accessible health care services for all citizens of the
Philippines.
 It aims to serve as the means for the
healthy to help pay for the care of the sick
and for those who can afford medical care to
subsidize those who cannot. Through the
National Health Insurance Act of 2013 or RA
10606, the government requires all Filipinos
to be members of PhilHealth. PhilHealth has
fixed financial support packages for specific
diseases. It especially comes handy during
hospitalizations.
Identifying, Avoiding, and Reporting Quackery

With the number of health service providers and

health establishments, it can
be easy to fall victim to quackery. Quackery is the
illegal and fraudulent practice of
medicine. A quack doctor is someone who pretends
to be a duly licensed physician to be
able to provide services or sell health products.
Quack doctors use the misinformation
or lack of education of the public on health for their
benefits. Quack doctors can sometimes be easily
identified.
These are people who advertise that they know the
cure for cancer or have special procedures only
available in their clinics to effectively treat pain or
chronic illnesses which really do not have any cure. A lot
of people who have early stages of cancer have missed
the opportunity of receiving life-saving treatment from
legitimate doctors because of going to quacks. If you
encounter such a doctor with questionable training, you
should check if the doctor is registered at the PRC. If
not, you should report this person right away to the PRC
so that the appropriate legal action can be done. Doing
this will help others not be endangered or fooled into
spending excessive amount of money for unproven
therapies and procedures.
LET'S SUM UP
*There are many health service providers. Among
them, doctors take the lead in the correct diagnosis
and management of health conditions. They facilitate
the proper referral of patients to different healthcare
workers based on the needs of patients
*Health financing organizations help people to pay for
health services. Choosing one will be dependent on
your needs.
*Quackery is the illegal practice of medicine of
untrained individuals. These individuals must be
reported right away to authorities because they
endanger the public.
SEATWORK:
1. Doctors that develop lenses for eye glasses?
2. Doctors that diagnose and treat diseases of
the eye?
3. Doctor that manages diseases of the ears,
nose, and throat (ENT).
4. These are the doctors that can also perform
surgeries on the head although they are
limited to the oral cavity?
5. Doctors who specialize on the skin, hair, and
nails?
LET'S CHECK
Answer the following questions.
1. The mother of your friend has been diagnosed with an
early form of thyroid cancer One of your neighbors
suggested she go to a certain doctor who has miraculously
cured cancer patients with an herbal drink the doctor
prepares in his clinic. What will you advise your friend?
2. You encounter the Facebook page of a popular "Drip
Clinic" where liquid antioxidants are injected into the veins
for beautiful skin. You found out that there
is no doctor supervising the clinic and only assistants are
injecting the medicine. What will you do and why?
3. Why do you think having an insurance for health is
beneficial?
LET'S APPRECIATE
Our choices today will determine the
kind of future we will have. Let us all
make a constant effort to make the
right choices daily.