QC: You Have Permission to Walk Away from Medical Gaslighting

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Kimether Redmon shares powerful strategies for setting the tone of respect with healthcare providers and knowing when to walk away from medical gaslighting.

• Come prepared with a one-page symptom summary, tracking information, and imaging reports to guide the conversation
• Ask providers to explain what led to their diagnosis and what their differential diagnoses are
• Remember that proper diagnostic process requires listening to patient history, physical exam, and multiple possible diagnoses
• When faced with dismissal, calmly state you're looking for a provider who will partner with you
• Don't hesitate to ask for your co-pay back if a provider refuses to engage respectfully

Have questions about advocating for yourself in healthcare settings? Send them in using the link in the description, email [e-mail], or visit the endobattery.com contact page.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Picture this you walk into a new doctor's office full
of fear and probably anxiety,trying to figure out how you're
going to convey your symptoms orwhat's going on with you so
that you can receive the propercare that you need and maybe
even a diagnosis only to befaced with rudely being
dismissed and gaslit.
What if you were given thetools and the permission to walk

(00:23):
out of that office and ask fora refund?
If this is something thatstrikes a chord with you, then
stick around.
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(00:45):
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(01:08):
I'm your host, alana, and it'stime to connect.
Today I'm joined by KimithaRedmond, who is a fierce endo
warrior and a passionateadvocate for those living with
endometriosis, adenomyosis andchronic health issues, with a
deep-rooted commitment toeducation, equality and
evidence-based care.

(01:29):
Kimather brings her publichealth and nursing expertise to
the forefront of advocacy.
She is a dedicated leaderworking to bridge research and
clinical practices to upliftmarginalized communities and
improve overall health outcomesfor all.
Let's get into this.
How do we communicate and setthe tone of respect and

(01:50):
expectation as a patient walkinginto a provider, even though
I'm always giving peopledifferent insight on like how to
prepare for your visit.

Speaker 2 (01:59):
You know, certainly you can help set the tone by
coming in with your symptomtracking.
You know, I try to do a onepage summary of like the chief
complaint kind of your historyor present illness, like what's
going on with you, how the painis impacting your life, things
like that.
You can come in with all ofthat.
You can come in with yourimaging reports and everything

(02:20):
with your imaging reports andeverything.
If you're dealing with someonewho really just has not valued
the importance of listening tothe patient, I tell people to
choose your battles because it'snot likely that you'll get very
far with that person.
Certainly, a few times I haveencountered someone like that.

(02:40):
They're not listening, they'vealready kind of in their head,
have already decided what'sgoing on.
They're not listening, they'vealready kind of in their head,

(03:00):
have already decided what'sgoing on.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
I'll ask them to explain their it comes, it's not
coming across in a questioningtype of way.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
It's like I do it in an inquisitive way.
I'm like, oh okay, oh, that'sinteresting.
Can you tell me what about myhistory and your physical exam
that led you to that diagnosisand what your differential
diagnoses are?
Yeah, because that cues to them, if they don't have
differential diagnoses, thattheir diagnostic process is not
done yet, Because a truediagnostic process requires a

(03:32):
adequate history, which meanslistening to you and asking the
right question.
That's 90% right there.
A physical exam and then comingup with differential diagnoses.
So you have a top diagnosis,but what was their second and
third differential diagnosis?
Because you aren't supposed tojust have one.
You're not supposed to justhave one, right?

(03:54):
You're not supposed to.
And and and every single one ofus, every med student, every
physician, assistant, nursepractitioner, we're all taught
to make sure that you have otherdifferential diagnoses in mind.
Because that way, when you startgoing down the route of your
one diagnosis that you think itis what happens when you end up
in an emergency room with kidneystones one diagnosis that you
think it is what happens whenyou end up in an emergency room
with kidney stones, you didn'teven start any of the work to

(04:16):
figure out if maybe it'ssomething else, one of your
differential diagnoses.
So that at least gives thempause, yep, and they could
decide to confirm that they're ajerk and say I don't have to, I
don't have to show you, I don'thave to explain myself, and
that gives you the confirmationto be like oh well, I'm looking

(04:38):
for a provider who's a partner.
I need someone who's actuallygoing to partner with me with my
health care and not just drawbaseless conclusions.
So I guess our time here isover.
And then I go to the front deskperson and ask for my
co-payback.

Speaker 1 (04:55):
That's a wrap For this Quick Connect.
I hope today's insights helpedyou move forward with more
clarity and confidence.
Do you have more questions?
Keep them coming, Send them inand I'll bring you the expert
answers.
You can send them in by usingthe link in the top of the
description of this podcastepisode or by emailing contact
at endobatterycom or visitingthe endobatterycom contact page.

(05:19):
Until next time, keep feelingempowered through knowledge.