Respect Thy Patients
Have you ever gone to your doctor's office and not felt any anxiety whatsoever?
I think few people can confidently answer 'Yes' to that question. If it's not our concern that our physician may discover some illness or problem, it's our wish not to know what something is when we find a lump or get dizzy or feel sluggish. We'd rather not know, we tell ourselves, because it might mean we have a dreadful illness. The fear not only keeps us from getting medical check-ups and regular dental care, it keeps us in a state of constant apprehension, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
What might contribute to this fear of going to our doctor's office? It might be a bad experience with a healthcare professional, painful treatments, or something bordering on disrespect. But all of this is going to be the old medical model. Patients have been letting healthcare professionals know that they are no longer patients they're 'customers', and they want different treatment. In fact, I saw an article devoted to just that subject in a major New York City newspaper.
While I've heard some professionals reminisce about the 'good old days,' I also know that medical schools and residency programs have done some major retooling. I had an opportunity to teach second-year med students how to interview patients in a hospital. The first thing I told them was that you have to introduce yourself and ask how the patient would like to be addressed.
I find it rude and unacceptable when an elderly woman or man is treated like a department store mannequin and addressed by their first name. I wasn't raised that way, and it's not something I've ever done. I know that I am here, safe and secure in my home, because the elderly of this world worked long hours in dreadful conditions just so I could reap the benefits. I will never forget them for their contributions to the world in which we live.
One of my fondest memories is of an elderly man I met one day while consulting at a nursing home. He was at the end of the hall in the last room, and he was all alone. The nurses thought he could use someone to talk to and I obliged.
I only got to meet him twice because he was gravely ill, and he was a delight. I sat listening as he told me how he had been a coachman and how they heated the coach with a pan filled with hot coals in the winter. I would have loved to have heard more.
Other residents would tell me of their memories of childhood in Europe or the streets of New York or the film sets of New Jersey. Each of them gave me something and for that, also, I am grateful. Too often it is the illness and not the person that has been treated, and we need to get back to remembering that whether 'patients' or 'customers,' each person is an individual who deserves our caring and our respect.
Related Topics: Seniors: Longer Lives, Better Health, 7 Key Traits of the Ideal Doctor
Technorati Tags: patientrespect, medicalcheckups, doctorsofficeanxiety
I think few people can confidently answer 'Yes' to that question. If it's not our concern that our physician may discover some illness or problem, it's our wish not to know what something is when we find a lump or get dizzy or feel sluggish. We'd rather not know, we tell ourselves, because it might mean we have a dreadful illness. The fear not only keeps us from getting medical check-ups and regular dental care, it keeps us in a state of constant apprehension, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
What might contribute to this fear of going to our doctor's office? It might be a bad experience with a healthcare professional, painful treatments, or something bordering on disrespect. But all of this is going to be the old medical model. Patients have been letting healthcare professionals know that they are no longer patients they're 'customers', and they want different treatment. In fact, I saw an article devoted to just that subject in a major New York City newspaper.
While I've heard some professionals reminisce about the 'good old days,' I also know that medical schools and residency programs have done some major retooling. I had an opportunity to teach second-year med students how to interview patients in a hospital. The first thing I told them was that you have to introduce yourself and ask how the patient would like to be addressed.
I find it rude and unacceptable when an elderly woman or man is treated like a department store mannequin and addressed by their first name. I wasn't raised that way, and it's not something I've ever done. I know that I am here, safe and secure in my home, because the elderly of this world worked long hours in dreadful conditions just so I could reap the benefits. I will never forget them for their contributions to the world in which we live.
One of my fondest memories is of an elderly man I met one day while consulting at a nursing home. He was at the end of the hall in the last room, and he was all alone. The nurses thought he could use someone to talk to and I obliged.
I only got to meet him twice because he was gravely ill, and he was a delight. I sat listening as he told me how he had been a coachman and how they heated the coach with a pan filled with hot coals in the winter. I would have loved to have heard more.
Other residents would tell me of their memories of childhood in Europe or the streets of New York or the film sets of New Jersey. Each of them gave me something and for that, also, I am grateful. Too often it is the illness and not the person that has been treated, and we need to get back to remembering that whether 'patients' or 'customers,' each person is an individual who deserves our caring and our respect.
Related Topics: Seniors: Longer Lives, Better Health, 7 Key Traits of the Ideal Doctor
Technorati Tags: patientrespect, medicalcheckups, doctorsofficeanxiety
4 Comments:
Finally I read your points of view validating my personal experiences over the last ten years of being treated unprofessionally by doctors in the most demeaning manner! I have been misdiagnosed multiple times; not taken seriously about my pain and medical conditions only to wind up in the emergency room after going to the doctors office. I have reduced to tears by the primary doctor, his cousin also an M.D. was present, though I doubt I can prove the offensive way he addressed me. I am widowed from a medical reseacher M.D. published in world wide journals. When my husband was alive I was treated with utmost respect. Now that I am in the "grey hair" generation here in the U.S.A. my intellegence is insulted with any attempt I make to communicate with the doctors; be they the primary or the specialists. I cannot believe how they disregard me as a feeling, thinking, learned, spiritual human being and that it is my LIFE they are ignoring. I have become so demoralized by this putdown attitude of the medical environment that it has produced hypertension when I previously had good BP. I wind up feeling 100 times worse after making stressful office visits. I could prove with documentation much of what I am stating. Unfortunately I have no hope left for quality, compassionate medical care in the U.S.A. Widow of Medical Researcher
Complain.
Forget the natural courtesy with which you have been inculcated and call the child (certainly young enough to be your son or daughter) out. BC/BS has initiated penalties for physicians who have been the subject of such complaints. Report the person to their professional organizations and those which function as
watchdogs. These doctors behave as they do because they believe they can. Surprise them. Walk out.
Ageism and misogyny are so commen as to be invisible. Re-education takes time and commitment.
Develope a taste for ethical punishment.
I am thrilled to see this article. I am especially happy to hear of your compassion to the gentleman at the nursing home. We need to be reminded that older people ARE real people and need companionship. They've had many trials and triumphs and it is they who worked so hard to make this country great.
I am glad to hear, too that being courteous to patients is now taught to upcoming doctors.
My problem when in the hospital is that I am on psyche meds and it seems as soon as they see my list of meds, they try to dismiss me. That is exasperating. I resent being told 'noone takes this amount of meds', or this is all the dr. here will prescribe. I had symptoms a couple weeks ago that had landed me in the hospital 2 or 3 times before. I called for my husband and told him not to let them treat me as though I'm crazy, because I am not!!!! Fortunately, I did not have to be hospitalized. I wish they would teach doctors that psyche patients are not crazy and have no idea of what is going on.
I now have a wonderful PCP who I trust and is in touch with my medical/psyche issues. She is compassionate. I have left physicians when I felt I was being dismissed for some reason. It is difficult to do, but if my doctor is condescending, I won't get proper treatment.
I'm very sorry to hear how you've been treated. There is no excuse for this behavior and it certainly is absolutely unacceptable. Too bad these medicos aren't treated to a viewing of "The Doctor" the 1991 film starring William Hurt. Here, the tables are turned on a surgeon and he finally sees what it's like to be a patient.
Where are The Gray Panthers when we need them?
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