I strongly believe that as doctors we do not know how to/are unable to
behave as patients.
During trainee years we are told to "treat the doctor patient the same
way as any other" - this is neither possible nor appropriate.
The doctor-patient has very different ideas, concerns and expectations
(forgive the quote). The GP doctor has to adapt consultation style to
ellicit these - the risks include appearing condescending, assuming
understanding, missing manipulation (admit it , we can play games as
well as anyone), or presuming the patient, being a doctor, will think
the same way as you do.
In my experience there are very few doctors who are able to deal with
doctor-patients. Perhaps in some cases it is impossible to separate the
2 agendas - "if I were him I would feel this so that is what he must be
feeling" - empathy in the extreme is not true understanding, it is a
false identification.
My point? A doctor-patient IS a special patient and deserves to be
treated as such. This is not a perk of the job, nor even a courtesy - we
should allow other doctors to be human in all respects, especially when
they have the misfortune to be ill.
KT
A thick doctor?
--
Katie Law
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