Big lessons from my error

I was furiously tapping on the computer when he asked: “Doc, what happens if I don’t have the procedure you are recommending?” Glee spread through my body. I grinned and nearly jumped up from the stool to hug him. I enthusiastically answered. Few patients ask this vital question. I tweeted about the encounter: An older pt asked me: "what happens if I don't have this procedure" / I nearly jumped up to hug him! <Please, people, ask your doc that — John Mandrola, MD (@drjohnm) July 7, 2017 A number of people noted my error: Why aren't docs telling their patients their options and explaining them? — Holly, MSN, RN (@Ozzwoood) July 7, 2017 1/Alarmed that isn't already part of the conversation! The Hippocratic Oath obligates Drs to discuss pros & cons of any medical intervention — Informed Consent (@BZarebad) July 8, 2017 These people are correct. I should have explained the expectations of not doing the procedure. My patient should not have had to ask. In this case, I hadn’t described what would happen without the procedure because he had come to me for a problem that was causing him to feel poorly, and the fix I offered was easy, elegant and low-risk. My enthusiasm to help got in the way of offering the option of not having the procedure. … It turns out that my lousy job of providing informed consent was not the only criticism of this encounter. Dr. Ajay Kirtane is a thoughtful and prominent interv...
Source: Dr John M - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: blogs