Anxiety Free Exams

Anxiety Free Exams

At Champlain Medical, our highest priority is your health. Our staff strives to help you establish a foundation for a healthy lifestyle that includes nutrition, exercise, healthy relationships, and regular check ups. 

It is important for our practitioners to establish a baseline of understanding about your health. This is why we ask questions during your visit, and update your file accordingly. Yet, according to research, doctor visits are a significant source of anxiety. This anxiety in turn can result in people putting off doctor visits, or being dishonest with health care professionals about what is going on with their health. Studies show that as many as 4 out of 5 people are dishonest with their doctors about their lifestyle and health. 

At Champlain Medical, we want to provide the best health care, and facilitate an anxiety free experience for our patients. Here are some common sources of “Iatrophobia”, or fear of doctors or medical procedures (often because of past trauma).

Trust and Safety

Fear of being judged. Even though we may have concerns about how our bad habits may be affecting our health, we often downplay or omit details. This is particularly true with regard to alcohol and drug use. We don’t like to admit how much we actually drink, or if we are abusing other substances. Aside from fear of being judged, patients may also fear legal action can be taken against them if they tell the truth. However, anything you disclose in a doctor’s office is covered by The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA.), which states: “...doctors cannot reveal anything that you tell us in a doctor’s office unless you are in immediate danger — such as harming yourself — at which point we can intervene to help you.”
The best course here, then, is to be honest with your doctor and put yourself on a path toward optimal health. 

Other common issues are:

• Not feeling comfortable at office due to racial concerns
• Fear of getting bad news about a health concern
• Anxiety around being touched during an exam, especially in sensitive body areas

Of course there are additional sources of anxiety. At Champlain Medical, you can be confident that our staff are up to date in all professional and training areas, and that we are here to listen. You can talk to us, we are here to help. 

For more information about how to maintain regular health check ups, and make your visit as comfortable as possible, please contact us directly.