Don ’ t try to educate your patients too much.., because

This write up was triggered after encountering a patient who instructed his cardiologist to remove an incidentaly found block in Right coronary artery.  Oftentimes, It is a funny & futile world out there in modern medicine. Revealing the complete truths or accepting ignorance in critical decisions to their patients, make the Doctors feel that, their academic modesty and reputation are at stake.  Still, many patients expect (and think) the doctors to be 100 % transparent and want to understand the nuances of disease better than the doctors themselves. The current fad of online & offline health education for patients is not an accident of technology. Though some benefits exist, I feel, It is an intentionally promoted, maliciously motivated patient empowering movement, trying to disarm the true professionals. Dear colleagues, always realize, never allow the default ignorance to become patients’ knowledge and ask them to take decisions on behalf of you. (I know, this is diagonally opposite to current principles of the practice of medicine) Fortunately, this issue doesn’t arise in most public hospitals in our country. This paper was written 30 years ago with great foresight.   So, act with tact. You can’t hide behind the patient’s preferences in deciding the treatment choice. It can be “as unethical as” any activity that goes against the interest of the patients under which we are taking our oat...
Source: Dr.S.Venkatesan MD - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: bio ethics medical quotes Two line sermons in cardiology doctor patient relationship medical ethics patient empowerment patient responsiblity patient rights and wrongs Source Type: blogs