Here's Why We Struggle To Make Connections With Our Physicians -- And Why It Matters

Americans don’t always trust their doctors, and here’s the proof: a 2012 survey found that just 34 percent of U.S. adults said they had “great confidence in the leaders of the medical profession” -- a significant drop from 76 percent in 1966. A 2015 study from ZocDoc confirms this widening distrust of medical professionals. According to the study, 30 percent of women and 23 percent of men have lied to their doctors through omission, or by telling “white lies” -- most often in response questions relating to diet and fitness routines and smoking and alcohol use -- due to embarrassment or time constraints. The state of the doctor-patient relationship seems perplexing, until we closely examine what's happening in the exam room. Thirty percent of women and 23 percent of men have lied to their doctors. Doctors and patients struggle to make authentic connections between one another. Both parties feel rushed during the typical 15 minutes of “appointment time,” which is inadequate for real relationships to form. A 2001 study at the University of South Carolina found that primary care patients had only 12 seconds to speak before being interrupted by their physician, which doesn’t bode well for anyone -- especially a shy person who’s a little nervous or embarrassed about his or her, ahem, situation … whatever it may be. The Hard Questions: How Can Doctors Earn (And Keep) Patient Trust? Tess* made an appointment with Dr. James Doty, clinical professor in the...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news