Recently, I attended a doctor’s appointment with a new client.
Because she was a new client, I spent most of the time listening, in order to get up to speed with her health issues.
One of her complaints was that she was suffering with a urinary tract infection. She was prescribed a two-week course of antibiotics. After doing this for six weeks, (the prescription was renewed every two weeks with the same antibiotic, three times) she still had the UTI. I was curious as to why the antibiotic had not been changed, so I asked the doctor.
And here is her jaw-dropping response: “It is not my job to teach you medicine.”
Actually, doc, it is.
It is your job. It is your job to make sure patients understand what is going on with their illness or disease. It is your job to answer questions and respond truthfully. It is your job to explain why the treatment is not working and what you think may or may not work. And if you don’t know, that’s OK--just say so.
It is your job to give patients clear understanding of the treatment options, so they can decide how to proceed. It is your job to explain all the risks and benefits of that treatment. It is your job to educate patients so they can be informed decision makers about their health.
How can you do any of that if you don’t “teach medicine”?
The majority of doctors are natural teachers. Most will explain, take the time to answer questions, and I’ve even known some to draw a picture. All to ensure patients understand what is going on with their health.
So if you ever find yourself in an office with a doctor who tells you she is not there to teach you medicine, look around and find the nearest exit sign. Then walk out that door.
The above happened in a physician’s office outside of the hospital.
But very often the same scenario is replayed inside a patient’s room.
I have huge respect for teaching hospitals, and their quality of care. However, because the focus is on teaching interns and residents, often the communication between the patient and the medical staff ends up being overlooked or in some cases nonexistent. The family and the patient also must be taught.
This is especially true larger urban hospitals, where the resident will come in, drop a note and leave. On top of that, when a patient presents with many comorbidities, the family then has to deal with different residents, from different departments, all of whom are “dropping notes” but not communicating or explaining anything to the family.
While the care the patient is getting may be exceptional, what is actually happening to the patient and why the treatment is in place, is not being communicated. This leaves the patient and family overwhelmed, frustrated and feeling they are not getting good care.
I advocate it over and over: Good communication is always key. And no matter what the medical environment, a doctor’s role is always to teach.
Jacqueline ODoherty of Health Care Connect LLC is an experienced certified patient advocate who guides patients through the complex, confusing and changing healthcare system.