DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have had a primary care physician for many years, but I never really liked his style. I am relatively healthy, so it never mattered much.
But now I am retirement-aged. When I was sick recently and asked for a same-day appointment, my usual doctor was out, so I was seen by a different doctor. I really, really appreciated her approach and her common sense advice!
I’d like to switch doctors, but I wonder if I owe my longtime doctor an explanation, or perhaps a “thank you” for our years together. I also worry I will cause a problem for this new doctor, as they are in the same practice.
How shall I handle this? I never run into either doctor outside of office visits, so I would not run the risk of an awkward encounter.
GENTLE READER: Do you not also worry that your old doctor will think that his patients and his new partner are conspiring behind his back?
Miss Manners mentions this not because you are, but because you should be. Explain the situation to the new doctor, not the old one, and elicit her assistance. Between you, it should be possible to concoct a reason for the switch that is reasonably accurate but, more importantly, will assuage any hurt feelings. Then, when you break the news, you should indeed thank the old doctor for his long service.
(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
