Compassion [kuhm–pash-uhn]
noun
A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
Compassion Corner is a weekly series from Patient Worthy that will focus on the subject of compassion in the healthcare and rare disease space. In this series, we explore the role of compassion in this field and what it means for caregivers, patients, and others.
Dr. Ryan Gray, in support of primary care doctors who see as many as thirty patients a day, or specialists in general, offers some helpful suggestions in a recent issue of HCP Live. As Dr. Gray points out, most patients mean well and are usually pleasant. He directs his suggestions at the patient he terms as a “total pain.”
Patients who are sarcastic, who ask for favors, who for some reason lie to their doctor, or get mean. As Dr. Gray indicates these patients usually push all the buttons. As he says, we have all been there.
Difficult Encounters
To be specific, CNN.com reported that doctors claim to have difficult encounters with one patient out of every six. This eventually causes burnout.
Saying anything to a doctor that is incorrect, either intentionally or unintentionally, leads to less effective treatment.
Dr. Gray offers the following suggestions to patients about what they should and should not say:
- Be entirely truthful for your benefit and the benefit of a solid doctor’s visit, diagnosis, and treatment.
Dr. Gray comments that he could write extensively on this subject. Patients at times do not realize that not giving precise information about symptoms can result in receiving medication that has unwanted side effects or leads to an overdose. Some doctors believe that all patients lie, but Dr. Gray claims those patients just do not see the problems they cause.
- Avoid being hostile, loud, or sarcastic. Patients must realize that doctors are human and can make mistakes. Doctors and patients are partners in finding solutions and treating the illness. Being belligerent will disrupt that partnership.
- Avoid asking medical questions when seeing the physician out in public. They are entitled to their time off. Restaurants, golf courses, or social events are not the ideal venue for confidential medical sessions.
- Try not to complain about other doctors. This will definitely raise a red flag. It can only give the doctor the impression that his or her new patient will eventually become embroiled in a lawsuit. It will give the doctor the impression that the patient is going to be difficult, and he or she will avoid that patient.
- Avoid overreacting. Doctors want to be compassionate, especially when delivering bad news to the patient and family. However, it is unwise to react emotionally over simple cuts or scrapes.
- Avoid asking for special favors, such as a note to an employer asking for more time off.
- Gray agrees that a patient should be knowledgeable about their medical condition. However, he strongly advises avoiding self-diagnosing. Doing so creates a slippery slope that causes anxiety or worse, leads to self-treatment for non-existent conditions.
- Gray cautions to avoid being overly demanding and treating the doctor as a servant rather than a partner in health care. Demanding duplicative tests or unnecessary medications distracts the doctor from focusing on the root cause of the patient’s condition.
- Then there is the issue of reasonable questioning. It is proper and efficient to have a list of appropriate questions for the doctor at each session. However, questioning the doctor’s every move can alienate the doctor and create an uncomfortable atmosphere.
- And one last suggestion for the patient as he or she exits the doctor’s office. Dr. Gray says it is a good way to annoy your doctor. He calls it the “doorknob question.” Rather than bring up an important issue at the beginning of the appointment, the patient asks the question at the end of the session. This does not leave the doctor sufficient time to fully evaluate the issue.
Again Dr. Gray wishes to emphasize that most patients are cooperative even under stressful conditions. This list is simply a reminder to patients who might recognize their own missteps. He hopes it will bring about better understandings between patients and their doctors.