The magic phrase that gets tests, meds, and more approved

There are reasons doctors don’t want to approve a whole bunch of tests. Don’t want to try new meds. Don’t want to approve your blue badge parking pass.

In a nutshell, those reasons are crap. They have way more to do with doctors and insurance and deep-rooted, deeply-wrong somatization explanations—and very little to do with you finding answers and getting better.

Many of the tests I’ve requested have been fine. Several invasive PITA ones have not, despite assurances from the doctor that “it wouldn’t show anything.” It did. And now those doctors are a lot more open to approving more test requests for me.

Anyway, the words you are looking for:

“Please clearly document your refusal to order that [test, med, etc.] in my chart.”

Defensive medicine is a bitch (another time, another post) but this is one time where it can help you—because no one wants to be the doctor who missed something and have that clearly on record.

And if they still refuse? You have documentation that will back you up when you report them to the higher-ups for negligence, write a truthful Google review, or review your disability case.

Demand documentation. Most doctors would rather order the goods.

And then find a different doctor—because we have enough constant battles as it is.