mentally healthy and capable of making informed decisions
about my sexual practices." Keep this conversation simple,
and try not to get emotional (I know this can be hard). It
may help to make a few notes beforehand about what
you want to say. If you doubt your ability to remain calm
having this conversation face-to-face, it's fine to call your
practitioner on the phone, write her a letter, or send her
an e-mail.
to have been a simple misunderstanding which can be
worked out so that you can go on working together.
with this health care practitioner, you have the absolute
right to find someone else whose attitudes are more in
synch with yours.
you can take further action. Write a letter explaining
what happened between you and the practitioner and
why you are discontinuing your relationship with her.
Depending on where you received your care, this letter
might go to your HMO or insurance company, and/or
to the Chief of Staff, Quality Assurance Department or
Patient Ombudsman of the hospital or clinic where you
were treated. These organizations do pay a great deal of
attention to such input. One complaint may not trigger an
investigation; however, if yours is not the first complaint
they've received about this particular practitioner, you
can feel sure that somebody will look into the problem.