Saswati Sarkar
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Written By: Saswati Sarkar | Published : July 1, 2020 1:47 PM IST
Once you have found a doctor you are comfortable with, make sure that you express yourself well.
The contribution of doctors to mankind is unfathomable. In order to honour the relentless service of physicians, Doctors' Day is celebrated all over the world on different dates. In India, National Doctors' Day is observed on the 1st of July, in memory of the legendary Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, who was also the second Chief Minister of West Bengal. He was born on 1st July 1882. As we celebrate National Doctors' Day today, here's a look at the importance of building a healthy doctor-patient relationship.
"The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease," said famous physician Sir William Osler. Yes, it is important for a doctor to know his patients beyond the disease in order to get the context right and guide them better. Similarly, the patient also needs to have a clear understanding of the ways of her physician to follow his instructions better. So, a healthy doctor-patient relationship which ensures a comfort zone between the two is crucial for healing. Several studies have also shown that a good rapport between the doctor and the patient leads to better treatment outcome. A research published in the journal PLOS One found that the health conditions of people with diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis improved when they got along with their physicians. Logically speaking, if the relationship between a doctor and a patient is characterised by trust, respect, empathy and compassion, patients are more likely to be honest with them. "If there is a comfort zone between the patient and the doctor, the compliance to medication becomes better, the patient is more likely stick to the physician's advice and go back to him for any discomfort or side effect he is experiencing. All these factors combine together to lead to a better healing process," says clinical psychologist and psychotherapist Prachi S Vaish.
It is often said that there are physicians who make you feel so good that just a visit to their clinic can cure half the diseases. This happens because there is a connect between our mind and body. "If you are putting your health in someone's hand, the comfort zone becomes crucial because you need to allow that person to go about treating you in the best possible manner without feeling the need to question everything. This also creates a very secure environment of working for the doctor. If you are comfortable psychologically with your doctor, stress will not interfere with your healing process, no matter what you are getting treated for," says Vaish.
A doctor has a large volume of patients to deal with, every day, which leaves very little room for them to interact personally. This poses a challenge for both the physician and the patient to find a comfort zone with each other. However, there are small steps that all you doctors can take to strike a cordial relationship with your patients for the success of treatments.
Manage your time well: Lack of time is a common hindrance in building a cordial doctor-patient relationship. "Better time management will allow doctors more time to invest in patients. Also, they need to take care of their own psychological well-being in order to build a healthy relationship with patients successfully," suggests Vaish.
Learn to communicate better: There are medical schools these days which are training doctors on communication techniques. These programmes are focussed towards improving the behavioural pattern of doctors and help them come across to patients as warm, respectful, courteous humans. "These communication techniques also ensure that your negative feelings towards patients, if any, don't reflect in your communication with them. Actually, you can feel in a certain way and learn to express yourself in a way that makes the patient feel comfortable," explains Vaish. A patient comes to a doctor with a lot of hope. "All those expectations may not be fulfilled, but they can be acknowledged with warmth for sure," adds Vaish. On many occasions, clashes and violence between doctors and patients occur because both the parties end up saying the wrong things at the wrong time. "This is the result of an escalated situation when both are worked up. Communication techniques help doctors learn to say the right things at the right time so that the situation doesn't go beyond control," says Vaish.
Start your session with warmth: Try to lend a human touch to your patient meeting instead of making it mechanical. "If you get into the symptoms and medicines right at the beginning of a session, the patient won't be able to connect with you. Instead, start with a warm, informal question, 'How are you feeling today?' This will make your patient feel that you are willing to lend your ears to him," adds Vaish.
Let your patient speak: This is very important because a patient needs space to share her concerns. You may be short on time but a couple of minutes at the beginning of a session, allowing your patient to speak won't make much of a difference to your schedule.
Express that you're concerned: When a patient visits you, ask her if she's taking her medicines right, whether or not she is experiencing side effects or if there's any doubt that she needs to clarify. "This will make her feel that you care about her life and your involvement isn't confined to just a mechanical prescription and a few tests," says Vaish.
Find a way to answer your patient's post-visit queries: Well, patients, especially those with comorbidity, or a critical or acute condition, may have many questions and doubts after their visit to the doctor's clinic. They need to be addressed. But due to paucity of time, it's not possible for a doctor to respond to all calls. This may even create a rift between the patient and a doctor. So, during your first session, figure out a way to handle the post-visit queries. "You can say something like this, 'Though I may not be able to respond to every little problem of yours on a phone call as I stay busy with other critical cases, I will sort out your queries if you leave a message instead of a phone call. I may not respond immediately, but I will answer for sure.' This will lend a sense of security to the patient and make him feel that you are there," explains Vaish. In fact, a doctor can have a separate number for queries and he can look at all of them at the end of the day when he has time, she suggests. You can also hire an assistant who can handle patients' questions.
As already mentioned, it's very important to have a harmonious relationship with your doctor for the healing process to be smooth. Here is what you can do to strike a cordial relationship with your physician.
Find a doctor you are comfortable with: "Patients often feel very intimidated by doctors because they think that their physicians know a lot more than them," says Vaish. This is one of the reasons why they can't open up to them. So, it's important for you to find a physician you feel free to talk to. If your health condition requires a certain duration of treatment, make sure you visit three to four physicians to find your 'doctor right'. Settle for the one you are comfortable with and can open up to.
Keep the lines of communication open: Once you have found a doctor you are comfortable with, make sure that you express yourself well. Also, your first visit to the physician's chamber should turn out to be a two-way communication and not just a list of instructions from your doctor. Small steps like these from your side will go a long way in building a healthy relationship with your doctor. "Never be hesitant to ask any question while you are at the doctor's chamber. Jot down your queries on a piece of paper. It will make your doctor feel that you have put in some effort and he will be keen to hear you out," says Vaish. Also, remember that it is essential to share with your doctor if a specific treatment hasn't worked for you. However, it shouldn't be an accusation. Make it a discussion about a problem that both of you are trying to find a solution to.
Respect the boundaries of your doctor: We all know that doctors are extremely busy, attending critical cases. So don't expect them to be at your beck and call. You have to make your doctor feel that you respect his work and decisions. "If you are facing any problem or have any doubt, maintain the courtesy of messaging him instead of calling him frantically. Also, don't get into an offensive stance or argument. Express your concerns amicably," says Vaish. These little steps will foster mutual respect and help both of you get along with each other.
Express appreciation and gratitude: Everyone likes acknowledgement. "When you feel that a medicine or treatment has worked well for you, make sure you leave a message sharing that and thanking your doctor," suggests Vaish. This can work as an ice breaker and help your physician warm up to you.
