Page 77 - DP Vol 20 No 4 HR

EDITOR HAS THE LAST WORD
WHAT AILS THE DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP?
Tled to widespread outrage and
DR. SUSHANT UMRE
It’s extremely
important that
a patient be able
to trust his own
personal physician.
When you are ill,
you are extremely
vulnerable, and
need someone you
can trust implicitly.
You want to be sure
that he or she is
looking after your
best interests, and
understands that your
needs come first.
he recent uproar revolving around human beings. This has resulted in a negative,
the tragic rape and murder of a vicious cycle. Patients don’t trust doctors, as
young medical trainee in Kolkata a result of which doctors get entirely blamed
when the outcome is bad; or dragged to courts
protests across India, particularly within the and sued for alleged negligence. Doctors have
medical community. Nationwide, medical started to practice defensive medicine to
professionals have staged strikes and protests, protect themselves, and have started treating
highlighting the broader issues of safety for patients as potential adversaries.
healthcare workers.
It’s extremely important that a patient be able
It is deeply disturbing and heartbreaking to trust his own personal physician. When you
to hear about this brutal act. Such an act is are ill, you are extremely vulnerable, and need
not only a grave violation of the individual’s
someone you can trust implicitly. You want
rights and dignity but also a stark reminder to be sure that he or she is looking after your
of the vulnerabilities faced by healthcare best interests, and understands that your needs
professionals, who dedicate their lives to come first. We need to bring the trust back -
serving others. These heinous acts shake our
for the sake of both doctors and patients! One
sense of security and justice, and it’s entirely way of doing this is to ensure that patients feel
natural to feel a range of emotions, including that doctors are accountable to them. Today,
sadness, anger, and helplessness. many patients feel that doctors can literally
Acknowledging these feelings is essential, get away with anything, because they are
unapproachable and inaccessible.
but finding a way to move forward is also
crucial. Protests and strikes by medical Improving the patient-doctor relationship is
professionals, while highlighting critical essential for enhancing healthcare outcomes
and reducing conflict or dissatisfaction.
issues, can often cause significant disruptions
for patients, especially when essential services There are several ways this relationship
are suspended. Though this incidence is an can be strengthened. For example, effective
extreme example of a heinous crime, for many communication is one. Doctors must learn
compassion and empathy. Patients often feel
years now, medical staff have often found
themselves on the receiving end of frustration, more valued when doctors actively listen
anger, and even violence from patients or their to their concerns. Encouraging patients to
families. ask questions and addressing their fears can
One wonders what has changed in the patient significantly reduce misunderstandings. In
my opinion patient education is paramount.
doctor relationship dynamics. In my younger Educating patients about their conditions
years the family doctor was held with such and treatment options gives them a sense of
high regard. He was respected as a family control over their health. Involving patients in
member, and thought of himself as part of the decision-making process helps them feel
your family. He made decisions which were respected and a part of their own care. This
right for you, because he knew so much about approach creates a partnership rather than a
you, and was invested in cultivating a long- hierarchy between the doctor and patient.
term relationship, based on mutual trust and
respect. The trust has started to evaporate, Going back to where I spoke about the current
because our contact with our doctors has uproar over the rape and murder of the young
become so transactional. intern, it’s important to recognize and validate
the pain and outrage that such incidents cause.
We no longer have long-term continuing Turning pain into action can be a powerful way
relationships with our doctors. Because of the to cope. Advocating for better safety measures,
technical advances in modern medicine, we supporting legal reforms, or joining campaigns
have to deal with lots of specialists, as a result of that aim to protect healthcare workers and
which our care gets fragmented. We often find women from violence can help channel these
that our doctors treat us as cases, rather than as emotions into a meaningful change. n
Dental Practice I July-August 2024 I Vol 20 No 4 77