Physician's Weekly: Why Patient Advocacy Is Important Without Being Hated, 2018, Girgis

[Wyva]

As you can see, this is not a new article but I thought it was worth sharing. Written by a family physician. Not really about ME/CFS but this general attitude would be really beneficial for us too of course.

“I don’t know.”

It’s an answer patients hate to hear. It is also an answer we doctors hate to utter. And in truth, many of us fail to say those words when it would be appropriate to say them. We spent long hours over many years of training, sacrificing personal time and family life. Most of us are perfectionists and not knowing a medical diagnosis often feels like failure. Perhaps, the better answer is, “I don’t know, but I am going to help you find out.”

As doctors, we don’t know everything. Unfortunately, when we fail to admit when we don’t know the answers, we cause great harm to our patients. We become the doctor that patients don’t trust and the doctors who they think don’t listen and care. We may care a great deal, but it won’t matter if our patients don’t think we have their best interests at heart or are helping them uncover what is the cause of their symptoms or fears. Patients may avoid seeking care when they need it or get frustrated and not seek any further help because they feel their doctor has no clue what is wrong with them.
​

Full article: https://www.physiciansweekly.com/why-patient-advocacy-is-important-without-being-hated

 

[Arnie Pye]

Embarrassment. Inform patients that we don’t judge their behavior and are simply looking for a diagnosis and how to help. It is the doctor’s job again to make the patient feel more comfortable in order for them to tell us anything that may help reach an answer.

What a flaming liar! Yes they do!

[Edit : I was referring to the comment that they don't judge behaviour.]

 

[Sean]

Most of us [doctors] are perfectionists

Well you better get thee to a psychiatrist then. Because they say it is a psychopathology.

Or is that only in patients?

 

[alktipping]

medicine is supposed to be a field of practice as much art and experience . no true perfectionist would cope with the massive lack of genuine scientific data to base their diagnosis on.