So I went to the lady doctor yesterday

I work for a nonprofit healthcare organization and in talking with a lot of professionals, there are several reasons doctors do not talk about weight with their patients regularly.

1. Time - with all the newer regulations and cutbacks on payments from both government and private insurance, doctors need to fit in a certain number of patients each day to keep their practice going. This means anything that is not an immediate concern is glossed over.

2. Tunnel vision - If a patient is there because of a cold or flu, they focus on just the patient's reason for coming.

3. Limited record reviews - With so many patients, doctors usually don't remember more than the basics of each of their patients (if that). Even pulling their charts and skimming them just before seeing them won't necessarily remind them to talk about other health-affecting issues like weight, particularly if you haven't had any weight-related issues in your chart lately.

Fortunately, at least where I am, we have two major initiatives that are improving this: EMR/EHR and ACO.

EMR/EHR is Electronic Medical Records/Electronic Health Records, and it is more than just putting all the paper information into the computer. This allows all the available information from multiple locations to be combined, so the doctor can see any notes, prescriptions, test results, procedures, etc., regardless of where you had them (at least for in network - many out of network professionals are not up to speed on EMR/EHR, so their records can't be brought in). The system also automatically flags items for review (which includes weight), and has built in workflows that the doctor has to check off while visiting with you, to make sure anything relavent to your age, gender, past medical history, and current conditions are addressed.

As an example, if you show up due to a sinus infection, but it has been a couple years since you were last checked for cholesterol, it will prompt the doctor to schedule you for a test, even though it is not related to the reason you are there.

It doesn't catch everything, but it lets the doctor cover a lot more in a shorter period of time, and almost eliminates the time he needs for writing up notes, since he does it electronically while he is in the room with you. It also reduces medication errors, as he can electronically submit prescriptions directly to your pharmacy for you - ensuring the right medication and dose is ordered without the pharmacist having to translate his chicken scratch.

The other important piece is ACO - Accountable Care Organizations. This is a new federal program for physicians to be rewarded with a share of the cost savings from managing a patient's all around health (particularly chronic conditions). Advantage: encourages physicians to be proactive in addressing issues that can lead to future health issues. Disadvantage: patients must cooperate with their PCP for it to be fully effective.

TL;DR: Technology and new programs are coming/in place to encourage doctors to cover all aspects of your health, and better track changes that happen.

congratulations on the weight loss! I wouldn't be surprised though if the DR didn't even bother to take down your previous weight! My doctor doesn't even bother weighing me when I go in and I am WELL over weight!

Well I think its fantastic, and I think that maybe he/she was focused on other things like what your appointment was for?

I could honestly careless if my obgyn commented on my weight loss or weight gain or tried talking to me about being over weight (if I was). That is not why I go to him. I go to him for pap smears and stuff like that. Your primary doctor is the one to talk to you about it. In their field that is what they focus on your OVERALL health. Whereas your obgyn is just there for lady parts, making sure you dont have precancerous cells or if you do to get a pap smear twice a year instead of once. Or the occasional breast exam to make sure there is no lumps. Thats all.

My doctor is my friend on here She motivates and inspires a whole bunch of us locals to keep going!

most doctors only ask questions pertaining to their specialty..or the problem that you are there for.. most primary care doctors, who review all your body systems, are more in tune to your weight...

^^^^That

I think it would have been nice if the doctor had commented, but maybe she is only focused on your lady parts and didn't even look at the weight (a lot of times they don't unless you are preggers or something like that).

When my doctor (I don't have a lady doctor and only see my regular doctor if I am sick or have a follow up on meds) saw me after I shed about 70 pounds or so, she literally shouted "Holy $#!T" about a hundred times. I've shed another 55 pounds since then and, the last time I was in the office, I saw a different doctor but she said, "Oh my goodness! I am so excited to meet you! Dr. Donnelly told me about your fabulous weight loss!"

I can't imagine why a doctor would be afraid to mention your weight loss, any dr! I can see why they don't mention someone being overweight, because they are in an environment now where they want you to like them and continue to see them because they have to sell themselves.
My ob/gyn remembers what I tell her, like when I told her a started running and she asked me the next year how it was going.
You should be congratulated, keep up the awesome work!

The last time I went in to see my lady doctor was right after having my son. She mentioned that one of her patients was about the same start weight as me, and in 6 weeks, due to nursing, had lost around 30lbs. With my previous son, I knew my body didn't work like that, and I told her that I gained weight during nursing. She encouraged me to loose some, but not drastically while I was nursing so I could still keep a good milk supply.

I thought that was kind of weird and judgmental of her to compare me to another patient, especially after she knew my history of gaining while nursing, but at the same time, I knew she was just trying to encourage me to loose a few pounds.