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Perspective shift.
Recently I needed to visit a doctor myself.
All of a sudden I got into the role of a patient.
What did I notice?
///A THREAD///
Recently I needed to visit a doctor myself.
All of a sudden I got into the role of a patient.
What did I notice?
///A THREAD///
ANXIETY
Going to the doctor is for most of us a stressful event.
When you are a doctor, you sometimes forget this.
It is so important to make your patient feel at ease.
If you are stressed, don’t show your stress.
Stay calm and radiate that calmness to the patient.
Going to the doctor is for most of us a stressful event.
When you are a doctor, you sometimes forget this.
It is so important to make your patient feel at ease.
If you are stressed, don’t show your stress.
Stay calm and radiate that calmness to the patient.
Example
I went to the doctor a few months ago in busy times.
I had to wait a little bit longer in the waiting room but that is not what bothered me.
I felt the stress from the doctor.
I felt like I wasn’t taken as seriously.
I did not feel at ease.
I went to the doctor a few months ago in busy times.
I had to wait a little bit longer in the waiting room but that is not what bothered me.
I felt the stress from the doctor.
I felt like I wasn’t taken as seriously.
I did not feel at ease.
ATTENTION
Your patient frees up his schedule especially for you.
He comes to you with a problem that is urgent to him.
The patient deserves your full attention and the feeling you make time for him.
Don’t show the patient you are running late.
Stay calm and listen.
Your patient frees up his schedule especially for you.
He comes to you with a problem that is urgent to him.
The patient deserves your full attention and the feeling you make time for him.
Don’t show the patient you are running late.
Stay calm and listen.
Example
Today I had to visit a specialist.
She gave me her full attention.
She asked me genuine questions and listened to my concerns.
It didn’t feel rushed.
It felt like she honestly cared.
Today I had to visit a specialist.
She gave me her full attention.
She asked me genuine questions and listened to my concerns.
It didn’t feel rushed.
It felt like she honestly cared.
EMPATHY
As a patient, you have to show your insecurities to a doctor.
You have to talk about difficult topics.
Sometimes you face a new doctor you don’t fully trust yet.
Then the doctor should show that he or she cares about the story you share with him/her.
As a patient, you have to show your insecurities to a doctor.
You have to talk about difficult topics.
Sometimes you face a new doctor you don’t fully trust yet.
Then the doctor should show that he or she cares about the story you share with him/her.
Example
I have talked about my two consultations and the two different doctors.
Let’s call them for now, the first and second doctor.
The first doctor reacted in a distant and judgmental way.
This left me with a bad taste after the consultation.
I have talked about my two consultations and the two different doctors.
Let’s call them for now, the first and second doctor.
The first doctor reacted in a distant and judgmental way.
This left me with a bad taste after the consultation.
The second doctor reacted in an empathic and caring way.
She asked if anything was alright.
Luckily I’m not that mentally fragile anymore but that first reaction could have led to a slight mental breakdown.
Don’t forget the influence you have on your patient’s emotions.
She asked if anything was alright.
Luckily I’m not that mentally fragile anymore but that first reaction could have led to a slight mental breakdown.
Don’t forget the influence you have on your patient’s emotions.
SHARED-DECISION MAKING
Medical information needs to be delivered according to the needs of the patient.
This is where active listening and giving your full attention, will come in handy.
Assess how much information your patient wants and deliver accordingly.
Medical information needs to be delivered according to the needs of the patient.
This is where active listening and giving your full attention, will come in handy.
Assess how much information your patient wants and deliver accordingly.
Example:
I’m a doctor myself. So I consider it important to be able to discuss everything.
The first doctor provided me with little information. I wasn’t wiser when I left.
The second doctor said with every action why she was or wasn’t doing something.
This gave me trust.
I’m a doctor myself. So I consider it important to be able to discuss everything.
The first doctor provided me with little information. I wasn’t wiser when I left.
The second doctor said with every action why she was or wasn’t doing something.
This gave me trust.
AUTONOMY
There is a new generation of patients.
Patients want to be autonomous and to have a central role in their health process.
That is a very good thing.
The patient has a central role now and as a doctor you are the provider of health care along that process.
There is a new generation of patients.
Patients want to be autonomous and to have a central role in their health process.
That is a very good thing.
The patient has a central role now and as a doctor you are the provider of health care along that process.
Example
The first doctor did not give me any autonomous feeling.
She asked for a laboratory test but did not discuss with me what should have been included in the test.
I felt like I had no choice but to follow.
The first doctor did not give me any autonomous feeling.
She asked for a laboratory test but did not discuss with me what should have been included in the test.
I felt like I had no choice but to follow.
TRUST
The most important theme of all these previous examples is trust.
Trust is the cornerstone of a good doctor-patient relationship.
Trust is earned through building a good record.
This is done by following the previous steps.
Eventually, it all comes down to trust.
The most important theme of all these previous examples is trust.
Trust is the cornerstone of a good doctor-patient relationship.
Trust is earned through building a good record.
This is done by following the previous steps.
Eventually, it all comes down to trust.
Example:
I felt really at ease with the second doctor I consulted today.
I can say that at the end of the consultation I trusted her expertise.
We did shared-decision making.
She talked about the limits of her knowledge and she gave me an autonomous feeling.
I felt really at ease with the second doctor I consulted today.
I can say that at the end of the consultation I trusted her expertise.
We did shared-decision making.
She talked about the limits of her knowledge and she gave me an autonomous feeling.
My consultation with the second doctor today was the inspiration of this rather spontaneous thread.
It motivates me to become a better doctor on these domains.
And if you read everything between the lines, you will notice a lot of these aspects will relate to your job as well.
It motivates me to become a better doctor on these domains.
And if you read everything between the lines, you will notice a lot of these aspects will relate to your job as well.
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