TIVO ALERT: Dr. Donnica Discusses Lies People Tell Their Doctors

Far Hills, NJ (9/26/08): Dr. Donnica Moore, founder and host of DrDonnica.com, will return as a guest expert on “The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet” (FOX) Monday Sept. 29, 2008 to discuss the topic of lies that people tell their doctors. Based on an issue raised in the October issue of Redbook Magazine, Dr. Donnica will discuss the common topics people fib and fudge about with their healthcare providers. “While it makes no sense to mislead your doctor about any issue that might affect your health and wellness, it’s something most of us have done at some point for one reason or another,” said Dr. Donnica, who will address the most common issues patients lie about as well as the factors that motivate people to do so.

According to Dr. Donnica, the most common topics patients lie about are related to diet, exercise, drinking, smoking, medication compliance, other medications they may be taking (including other prescription medicines, herbal products, sleep medications, steroids or weight loss products), illegal drug use, history of sexually transmitted infections, sexual partners or habits, domestic violence, mental health issues, contraception, and oral hygiene (brushing and flossing daily). She says there are many motivating factors: “In general, patients who lie do so because they are embarrassed or feel guilty about what they perceive as “bad behavior”. However many patients say they lie about things because they don’t want to get a lecture about proper health behaviors.” Other reasons may include being in denial, forgetting, not wanting doctors to judge them, and not wanting their doctors to feel that symptoms are “all in their heads”.

Dr. Donnica explains that presenting incorrect medical information to your doctor can be harmful to your health as well as to your relationship with your physician. “We understand if you just don’t want to deal with something and it’s OK to say that. But it’s frustrating for healthcare providers to have misinformation because it interferes with our ability to help them, wastes a lot of our time and energy, and may even drive up the cost of healthcare by causing us to order unnecessary tests. Most importantly, it interferes with your getting the health care you need and deserve.”

To view a clip from the segment,click here

Created: 9/26/2008  -  Donnica Moore, M.D.