Lost in translation: Getting your doctor to be fluent in “patient”

With the advances of knowledge and technology, the practice of medicine has become more complex. In addition to increasing complexity, there has also been a growing shift in patient care from paternalistic medicine to shared decision making. Paternalistic medicine is when the physician would make a diagnosis based on a patient’s history and test results, and then tell the patient what the plan of action will be. With shared decision making, the physician explains testing and treatment options, and then the patient makes an informed decision based on his or her preferences and health goals as well as physician recommendations. Time after time In the practice of modern medicine, there are many challenges which can often hamper a physician’s ability deliver care in a way that would be both efficient and most appreciated by the patient. These challenges include shorter office visits (the choice of administrators rather than physicians in many situations), the need to address multiple health problems in a single visit, and lack of support staff (someone to check your blood pressure, confirm your medication list, etc.). Given this time crunch, physicians often find themselves rushing, particularly at the end of a visit, to keep their clinic running as on time as possible for the next patient. During this rush, physicians must discuss the implications of a diagnosis, testing options, treatment options, drug side effects, the need for referrals to specialists, and appropriate fol...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Managing your health care Source Type: blogs