Edith Mitchell on Dr/patient relationship

A strong doctor-patient relationship can make all the difference in a patient’s treatment and quality of care. In my experience, abiding by a few key principles goes a long way in building a relationship that enables a more successful diagnostic and therapeutic regimen. The first, and arguably most important principle for me, is to see each patient as a person rather than a patient with cancer. Making them feel comfortable that I’m concerned about their disease process and ready to get through it as a team helps build trust from the beginning. To do so, I work to establish good communication practices. When I’m getting to know a patient for the first time, I ask questions that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no. Asking someone about where they live or how they became interested in their career helps me get a holistic view of their life and the details that come out of these conversations allow for personalized and specific care. Caregivers are also incredibly important to the equation. Whether their family, friends or neighbors are supporting the patient, it’s critical to create a dialogue with these people so they can answer questions and provide context in certain situations. To build and maintain these relationships, I’ve found eye contact and an occasional physical touch to their hands reassures the patient that I’m listening and engaged in their treatment plan. Every patient is unique and every cancer is different. Remembering that about each person ...
Source: PHRMA - Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Source Type: news