June is men’s health month, so we, at Elevated Health, figured this is a great opportunity to encourage our male patients to drop in for a visit and discuss how we approach men and their health differently and develop a better physician-patient relationship.

It’s pretty well established that men tend to die earlier than women, but men are also only half as likely to go to the doctor over a two-year period of time, and twice as likely to say they’ve never had contact with a doctor or health professional.

A recent survey suggested why men are reluctant to see a doctor. These were their top three excuses:

• They are too busy.
• They are afraid of finding out something might be wrong with them.
• They fear uncomfortable body exams (i.e. prostate or rectal exams).  

How to Get a Better Physician-Patient Relationship

At Elevated Health we practice what is called relationship based medicine. Our goal is to get to know all of our patients personally and build a good physician-patient relationship with them over time. Because of this approach, our male patients tend to feel more at ease with us. We don’t use pressure tactics or guilt to convince them they need to do something or have something. As we develop a relationship with them and earn their trust, they know we care, have their best interests at heart, and would only advise them to do something we truly felt necessary.    

Accessible Doctor-Patient Relationship

We also aim to make ourselves easily available and accessible to our patients. If you’re too busy to come in for a visit you can schedule a phone or a video visit from the comfort of your home or office. If you send us a text or an email with questions about your health, we’ll get back to you the same day. We can even order your lab work remotely. If we feel we need to see you face to face, we’ll schedule you at your convenience with little to no wait time.

Most importantly, we love what we do and take pride in changing people’s health care experience – especially those who have had bad experiences in the past or have usually been nervous to go the doctor.

Now that we’ve covered all of your excuses, if you are a man and do not have a good doctor-patient relationship like this with your physician, join us at elevatedhealth.md to see how your health care can be better, easier, and more personal. See you soon!

About the Author

Matthew Abinante is a board-certified family physician providing direct primary care to patients of all ages. Offering excellent care, diagnosis, and techniques, he continually participates in educational opportunities to best serve his patients. Working in Huntington Beach, he analyzes common aches and pains, proposes innovative treatment plans, and provides specialized services for each individual patient. 

After excelling for years, Matthew received his DO and MPH from Touro University in Vallejo, CA. Matthew completed his residency training at PIH Health Hospital in Downey, CA, where he became a board-certified and trusted family physician who values patient-doctor relationships and clear communication.