One thing you learn as you move farther into your training, and have interacted with many patients in both the outpatient and inpatient setting, is that the doctor-patient relationship is a priceless thing. It is a key component that often becomes forgotten in our current era of health care where doctors must see a great number of patients in a short amount of time, amidst a growing number of restrictions and cutbacks rendering many physicians jaded and wiped out. Somewhere along the line many doctors forget about the importance of the doctor-patient relationship, after all, us clinicians do what we do to help others feel better and live longer, right? Often times, this may even be more important than the actual medical care you provide.
"Treat the patient, not the disease." This was told to me by a mentor near the end of medical school, before I began the arduous journey of my clinical training in Medicine, and it is something I always try to remember. After all, being a doctor is not just about analyzing data, building a fund of knowledge, and solving a puzzle--it is about taking care of real people, with real emotions, and real lives. Much of the medicine we practiced is guideline based, and the diagnostic algorithms and treatment strategies are well outlined and defined. Obviously there is a lot of "art" involved in tailoring this to the individual, and determining the whens/whos/and hows of going about your care of each patient, but often time the challenge becomes more than just diagnosing the disease and prescribing the appropriate therapy. The real challenge and marker of a successful doctor is gaining the patient's trust. When a patient puts their lives and well being in someones hands, they want to be able to trust them. It has to be beyond a biological and medical level, it has to be at a personal level. This is what separates a good doctor, from a great one.
Most of the time, this becomes important not just to make the patients feel better and happy, but it will usually make the doctor happier and more successful. One is obviously the gratification of hearing great things about you from a patient. There is nothing like someone telling you that you that you are a great doctor, that you have great bedside manner, or sending you a card with a gift for the care you provided, or hearing from someone else that your patient was speaking highly of you--such instances always make you smile and happy that you have done good and earned someone's trust and they will never forget you for that. But beyond that, building a good relationship with a patient will protect you from those same patients. You could be treating someone and make an error, or there is an unforseen complication and the patient is harmed or even worse, dies. Chances are, if you have a good relationship with the patient and their family, and they know that you truly cared about the person (and not just the disease), you will not get sued. Whereas if you do everything right, and some complication or side effect that is not even your fault occurs, but you did not have a good relationship with that patient or famly, or you never spent time explaining to or talking with the patient and family, you are more likely to get sued. And furthermore, the more people like you, the more other doctors will send patients to you. And thats good for business!
Doctors may complain that there is no time to build a relationship or speak with the patient. I argue, you are wrong. I have spent this month doing stress tests on people I don't even know, yet in the 5 minute interaction I have with them, I have received plenty of compliments and thanks and even requests for my business card. It is simple. The most important thing: Communication. Look them in the eye and speak TO them. Explain to the patient what is going on and what. Don't beat around the bush. Don't speak to them like babies, don't insult their intelligence, tell them what is going on in a way they can understand. Most of the time when I see patients or families that are upset, its because nobody has explained anything to them! Truly ridiculous. The other thing is to be a regular person. Don't try to portray an aura of that pompous or cocky doctor, don't make the patient feel there is some hierarchy here and you are better than them. Speak to them like a normal person! Joke with them, make them laugh. Even if you are having a bad day, don't bring the patients into it. If you can do that, they will instantly feel better and more comfortable with you, and you will have already succeeded.
Remember, you can be the smartest doctor around, you can know all the data, and memorize all possible diseases and treatments, but that does not make you a good doctor. Part of being a doctor is being able to work well and communicate well with patients. Earn their trust. Even the ones that are "crazy" or "annoying", everyone is different and sick people are often angry. Patience and communication. Win the patient, and you will win period.
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Posted by: SIDRA KANWAL | January 07, 2011 at 12:57 AM
Truly inspirational! I'm an IMG working in cardio dept and struggling every day to spend enough time to talk to my patients, make sure they understand what kind of tests I want them to undergo, what type of treatment they receive and why. It's hard, challenging as there is always another patient waiting for me to meet, but surelly gives a hell lot of satisfaction at the day! Keep up posting!
Posted by: Matylda | January 09, 2011 at 04:26 AM
*at the end of the day! ;)
Posted by: Matylda | January 09, 2011 at 04:27 AM
yap, in every field if u want a good , u need a more and and more interest in this field.
same like doctori field that is count.
Posted by: daud khan | March 18, 2011 at 10:27 AM