Reflect on your own experiences in a doctor's office. You have probably had some good experiences and some bad. Dr. Verghese brings up a good point...a doctor's touch is very important and we maybe focus to much on the "I-patient" rather than the person. What do you think? Spend some time talking about how you would change medicine if you trained to be a doctor.
In a hospital set environment with all kinds of patients, different speciality doctors, and nurses it is easy for the people taking care of patients, doctors, nurses, and physician assistants to focus on treating the patient than making sure the patient is comfortable. Dr. Verghese talks about how certain doctors are only famous, historically, by the patients the treatment whether they are famous or not. I think that our doctors, nurses, and PA’s should be focused on making sure the patient is okay emotionally, physically, and mentally not just if they are physically okay. Dr. Verghese makes a point about the patient is becoming the icon for the “computer patient”. Patients are worried about when someone is going to come to explain to them what's happening, who is in charge, and where are their doctors. Instead these doctors, PAs and nurses are having their rounds in a room not focusing on the patient but rather the patient on the computer. Dr. Verghese overarching point is there is a huge change in medicine than how medicine was practiced before. If I could change medicine I would change the way “we” interact with patients. I would encourage and make doctors spend more time with their patients and make them feel like they are important. I would make rounds during shift time be from room to room and tell the patient what is happening to them versus the patient questioning everything. I would change the hospital environment to feel more like a care facility where patients are comforted and cared for versus cared for by the “computer patient”. Families are heartbroken whether they just lost a family member or sitting in a hospital bed, to me to completely change medicine “we” need to spend more time. More time with their families, more time with patients, more time conferring with colleagues to ensure the right treatment and, more time to emphasize the importance of the patient. Dr. Verghese at the very end of his Ted Talk speaks to what he says to his patients, “And the message, which I didn't fully understand then, even as I delivered it, and which I understand better now is this: I will always, always, always be there. I will see you through this. I will never abandon you. I will be with you through the end” he spends time with his patients no matter their death sentence, if it’s 24 hrs, 2 days, 4 weeks, 6 months, 1 year. In the movie clipped we watch these kids were very ill but the doctor (Robin Williams) focused on making the kids smile during their check up versus going straight towards treating the patient. This is what medicine should be and this what I would change it to.
ReplyDeleteI’ve always loved visiting the doctor, it was an environment I loved being in. I was hypnotized by the clean smells of the hand sanitizer located at every corner, the scrubs that nurses and doctors fashioned, as well as the complex examining rooms that were full of surprises. I grew up knowing I wanted to be a doctor since day one, which I guess may have influenced my love of going to the hospital. Yet, all of the aspects I previously described were miniscule compared to the connection I had with my pediatrician, Dr. Connie (I never actually learned her last name, for my 6 year old self had no interest, and since then Dr. Connie just stuck with me). Sadly, she has recently retired, but I will always remember the friendly and compassionate touch that the nurses and Dr. Connie provided for me. My visits to the doctors office were never rushed, the physicians always took their time getting to know me better by every appointment. And although the medicine was equally important, I constantly felt very taken care of and loved.
ReplyDeleteDr. Verghese begins his TED Talk by describing a 40-year woman who was admitted to the emergency room with her blood pressure an astounding 230 over 170. She was eventually ordered a CAT scan, after going into cardiac collapse. The scan showed highly visible palpable breast masses that were proved to be growing for years, therefore it was possible to catch them sooner. Verghese then states, “This may actually be heresy to say this at TED, but I'd like to introduce you to the most important innovation, I think, in medicine to come in the next 10 years, and that is the power of the human hand -- to touch, to comfort, to diagnose and to bring about treatment.“ His thoughts regarding the one on one connection with each and every patient represents the importance of being a doctor. Medical professionals are blinded by the infatuating income, the attention, and the overall public needs, to recognize the true significance of serving others.
In the future when I finally fulfill my dream of going into the medical field, though I may not know what specialty I will study, what age group of patients I will deal with, what heartbreak and celebrations I will experience, I do know this: I will make my #1 goal to connect with patients on a level they have never encountered, to become a doctor that people are excited to go visit, no matter the cause, to be remembered as kind and big-hearted, and to make them feel just as taken care of and loved as when I was a 6 year old girl at my pediatric office.
I agree with Dr. Verghese on his philosophy in the doctor’s office. I can’t tell you how many different doctors I’ve had but on top of that how long they took to see me and check up on me. I don’t like how they don’t focus on the patients they have at that moment, or just aren’t a little faster in their time at least? I appreciate the doctor’s who try and get to know me because then I feel like they’ll know or have a better idea of what’s wrong with me then make the diagnosis. I would like to go into surgery on animals as my career later in life and I plan to get to know my patients (whether they be animals or the owners) so I can do a better job with my patients.
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ReplyDeleteMy experiences is doctor’s offices have been a mix of good and bad. I one time broke my elbow and waited in my room for at least 3 hours before someone finally came to see me. They did nothing but walk me to an x-ray room and then told me my arm was broken. They casted it the next day, gave me medicine, and told me to come back after 2.5 months so they could check the progress. I honestly felt unimportant and just like another person that they were required to see. There was hardly any personal interaction and no one took any care to listen to the story of what happened to my arm. I thought it was interesting when he mentioned that the average physician interrupts their patients 14 seconds into what they are saying. This is exactly what happened to me and I was pushed out the door once I was done that day so they could cram in another patient.
ReplyDeleteIf I were trained to be a doctor, my philosophy would be personal interaction. Especially being social and a people person, I value conversation. Most of all, I think it would be so powerful to be able to listen to my patients without interrupting them so they feel thoroughly listened to, and I can best attend to their needs. If a patient feels as though they were properly able to tell their story and concerns, they will continue to return, which will allow for a long-term relationship to form between the patient and I.
I would also place value on physical touch. I think cutting edge technology is amazing, and devices such as MRIs and CAT scans should most definitely be used to assist the doctor in deciding what to diagnose the patient. However, I still want to be able to allow the patient to feel comfortable and trusting, which means taking care in my examination. I will physically touch them when assessing them and hopefully they will begin to gain trust in me and my methods of practice.
My personal experience with going to a doctors office has mainly been overall good and I can't think of a bad time of going to a doctors office. Although after the ted talk I have realized that doctors are a lot less personal than I thought and more so based around the machines and getting people in and out as quick as possible. As Dr. Verghese explained the I-Patient, I was shocked because this is so sad and true. I know he is definitely correct when talking about two different patients, one being in the computer and one questioning when someone will help and care for them. I believe that going to a doctors off to get medicine is mainly mental. Walking in and hearing that you are okay is already enough reassurance that I can stop stressing and worrying about what's wrong with me. I feel as if doctors sometime prescribe you medicine when you don't always need it. Therefore if I were to go into any sort of medicine field I would make personal connections and take the time. The world and norms have changed so much by starting to do that and take the time is better for you and the patient because it is meaningful and more fulfilling.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dr. Verghese’s statements about medicine; it seems like too much of medicine is tests and x-rays and data. Part of what draws me to medicine is the prospect of being around patients and interacting with them one-on-one. Fortunately, most of my life I’ve had doctors who are involved in the examination; they have often made visits welcoming by talking to me, asking how school is, what I’m doing for extracurriculars, etc. Even the nurses know be by name, although I visit rarely. Listening to Dr. Verghese has made me realize that this dynamic is probably a good reason for why I feel relatively at ease when going to the doctors office.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up with my dad as a psychologist, I have always known that a person’s disease, injury, or ailment is only half the story. A huge part of the healing process has to come from the interpersonal support that a patient receives from their family and their care providers; if their personal needs aren’t met, their medical needs won’t be met either. If a patient is treated as a number, or a chart on a computer screen, they’re going to feel depersonalized, demoralized, and won’t feel that fighting to get better is worthwhile. As a physician, I would want to pursue a holistic approach (part of the reason I’m drawn to a DO instead of an MD) as a means of treatment. I would want to talk to my patients, not just about their ailments but about who they are, what their interests are, what they do for a living, and use that as a way of gaining their trust; maybe this way I can show the patient that the fight is worth fighting.
I am unsure of what kind of profession I would like to pursue in the medical world. In my medical career I want to get the job done correctly and completely while maintaining relationships with patients and coworkers. Similarly to Patch Adams, I believe it is important to make a patient's visit enjoyable and thorough. Verghese made sure that every exam he did was complete, even if the patient was going to die soon. In my profession I will always complete a thorough exam while making it enjoyable for the patient. It won’t matter whether the patient is young or old, but I will find some way to connect with them on something other than what they are in to see me for.
ReplyDeleteS. Soltes
DeleteI agree with Dr. Verghese about how modern doctors focus too much on their screens rather than the people in front of them. People walk into a care facility, and the thing they want the most is to feel like they are being taken care of by people who genuinely want them to get better. The more time a doctor spends with a patient, the more motivation they will find to help that person, and the cure may be found quicker than if the doctor has a more intimate relationship with the data.
ReplyDeleteIf I was trained to be a doctor, my primary focus would be to view my patients as people, not numbers on a screen. Doctors need their patients just as much as patients need their doctors, so if the doctor treats the patient as they would want to be treated, the relationship would be the most beneficial for both parties. The less time a doctor spends with a patient, the less of a connection there will be, and the best results may not occur because the patient won’t be as willing to give the doctor what they need. In short, if a doctor wants to be as efficient and as successful as possible, the best way to achieve that goal is for the people they serve to want the same.
^ S. Soltes ^
ReplyDeleteWhenever I go to the doctor, I always feel like the doctor is running late, I have to wait in the waiting room forever, and they’re always in a rush to get me out of there. They’re very busy and possibly overbooked, they need to hire more physicians so they can spend more time with each patient. One time I was sick and they prescribed me 4 weeks of antibiotics. It didn’t work, so I went back and they gave me another 4 weeks of another type. That month passed and it still wasn’t gone. I finally went to a different doctor who actually listened to the problem, listened to my lungs deeply and knew what was wrong. He gave me the right medication and it showed me an obvious difference within just one week. I think that my first doctor was really just in a rush to give me antibiotics and hope it was the right kind. If he had actually diagnosed the problem for what it was, he would know that there is a medicine that works much better than others. Doctors don’t necessarily spend a lot of time on the problem because they’re so busy finding a solution. They look at the patient physically without listening to the background story that would give key details for diagnosis. If I were to be a doctor, I think I would want to have my own practice and do more thorough work so patients wouldn’t feel rushed. I think that health insurance is making it hard for people to actually get care because they are so focused on money instead of actual health, and patients are suffering because of this. Sometimes there are treatments that can’t be given because of insurance and the patient can’t afford it otherwise. I think I would also want to specialize in a specific type of medicine so I can help patients who otherwise couldn’t get help from a regular family doctor. Medicine has so much potential and we are ignoring that because we care too much about money and seeing as many patients as fast as possible.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to being in a doctors office, I would agree that we spend too much time on the patient instead of the person. I personally love my pediatrician. It might be because we’ve gone to her for twelve years now, but she always finds a way to be goofy or sarcastic during my appointments. The other doctors who talk to me at that office have always treated me as a patient and nothing more. So most of my good experiences at the doctor’s office are with my pediatrician. She treats my appointment like I’m meeting up with someone I haven’t seen in a while and I’m updating them on my health, yes, but also on my life. I feel like if you are in a position like that, that is the best way to go about your job. I have never understood people who get a job they dread, work for the weekend, and make just enough money. I feel like people in the medical field have a passion for helping others that drives them, and I admire it A LOT. But if they were to just only work for getting the patient to feel better and nothing else, the job wouldn’t be as enjoyable, and it wouldn’t be as enjoyable for the patient either. And if that patient is facing a difficult battle, having a person like their doctor in their life could really help their emotional state as well. That way the doctor also knows how to help them in the same way a friend could which I think is amazing.
ReplyDeleteI’ve spent more time than I would have liked in a hospital setting over the last year, but the time I spent there has taught me more about the medical profession than I ever could have before. I was able to observe both the different mannerisms of each doctor, as well as the reactions of my family members to them. The video of my cousin walking for the first time since his accident also shows countless doctors and nurses crying in the background, still finding value in a moment they must have seen many times before. When my sister broke her nose she was surrounded by the nurses and doctors who were cracking jokes and doing anything to distract her from her swollen face. The best doctors that I’ve seen are the ones who observe the patient as a whole, and who take into account that they are treating a human person, not just a cluster of symptoms. Even when completely consumed by an illness, a patient is still a person; even though the current climate of the medical world makes it harder and harder to recognize the patient as a whole, I hope that as a physician I would be able to both find the value in every patient I have, as well as treat a person, not just an illness. Current medical technology is incredible, but it has also eliminated some of the human aspects of treating a patient; medicine no longer forces someone to make human connections, and in some cases I believe it makes doing so even harder. I hope that I could walk the line between appreciating tech but not letting it consume my practices. I think there is tremendous value in learning from every experience, and in letting constant pressure be a place to grow, not deflate. Although this would be far from the simplest path, I think that if I was able to uphold these values in my career, both my patients and I would be better for it.
ReplyDeleteSophie P.
DeleteWhen I go to the doctors I have different experiences with each doctor I go to. I tend to have a more personal relationship and feel more comfortable with the ones that I go to often and build that relationship. I feel like when doctors seem excited to see you and have conversations not just about medical issues than I feel better about going there whether it is the first time seeing them or going to them for a year. I think one of the reasons that I want to be a physical therapist is because out of all the doctors I have been to all of the physical therapist I’ve been to, I have felt the best around and had a relationship with and was excited to go. I think whenever someone goes to the doctors no matter what type of doctor it is they should feel comfortable and they shouldn’t feel like they are just another patient. That is my goal for medicine. I want to be a physical therapist and you have to have people’s trust, so I think they only way to do that is to treat them as a person and not a patient and create a relationship with them. No matter where I am if I have a relationship of some kind just by them knowing my name or order it makes me feel better and puts me in a more positive mood and makes my day. If we do that in the medical field it will turn something that people hate doing to a places that people actually want to go to and will enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI think that it was so much better when the Doctors actually looked at you and not the computer. Nowadays all that doctors do is type stuff on the computer about every single question that they have for you but it almost seems like they don't even want to have a face to face conversation with you and they only look at you once and awhile. The past few times that I have been to the doctor to get my sports physical they don't really do a physical and don't really ask or look how you are actually doing physically. So many things have changed and it doesn't seem right that all doctors do now is look at screens all day and not patients even though they are telling other people that they are looking at screens to much and it is ruining there eyes. I think that we should go back to the pen and paper appointments so then people can have a better relationship with their doctors and not with the computer that the doctor is typing on. I know that technology is getting stronger and more useful but I think that one place that technology should not be used all of the time is in doctors offices. Computers can be used when you are not in the appointment to put data in but I don't understand why it has to be used during the appointment. Instead of more computers in the office, I think that there should be more doctors that see less patients and maybe spend more time with their patients.
ReplyDeleteOne bad experience I have had in a doctor's office is when I went in to get my throat checked. All the doctor did was come in and swab my throat and ran the test for strep throat. When he came back all he did was tell me that it's not strep throat and there is nothing they can do just for me to drink lots of fluids. Everytime I go to the doctors office I feel like they are always in a rush to get through everyone, they don't listen to what you think the problem is because they are more focused on trying to find a quick easy solution. I agree with Dr. Verghese's point I think most doctors now are more worried about the amount of patience they see and how quickly, they aren't focusing on the patient. If I became a doctor, I feel like I would be in between doctors now and Dr. Verghese. I would take the time and look over the patient and talk to the patient but I would also do the appropriate tests on the patient so I could find out what the patient had and how to help them. The biggest thing that I would do to help is to take the time and listen to the patient, I am a believer that if you know the background of the issue it helps you find the solution.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching Dr. Verghese connect and be present with his patients, it makes me realize the importance of care and human touch. Most patients do not feel validated by just getting told by a Dr that they have a certain diagnosis. Patients feel as if they're just getting pushed aside that their diagnosis isn't as important. The patients feel rushed due to their Dr’s busy schedule. So when a doctor actually reaches out and tries to make a patient feel comfortable I think it hits a personal spot for them, especially with kids. Kids are already vulvernable, but especially in a new environment and if the doctor isn't able to make the child feel comfortable there is no trust between them. As I think about going into occupational therapy pediatrics, I first think about my experiences and how I loved it and it made me feel comfortable. I felt safe and trusted the person I was working with it. I made a deep connection with her and soon enjoyed the therapy I was going through. In life and in my profession I hope to make children feel loved and cared for. I think gaining that trust and validation from a child is so important because it makes them have a safe place. My philosophy for my work will give all equal work and care to all my patients.
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ReplyDeleteI have been to hospitals and doctors several times for x-rays, surgeries, check ups etc. and each and every time I go I feel welcomed and less nervous about the appointment. Nurses and doctors now a days seem to be handling the way they work in the healthcare industry a lot differently than in the past. It’s a very overwhelming situation to walk into a sterilized hospital or office knowing they give shots, do surgeries and help terminally ill patients. Something that really stuck out to me is when Dr. Verghese talked about the power of the human hand. The human hand gives comfort, care and touch. When someone finds themself in a hospital for whatever reason you want to feel comforted and cared for. When the nurses and doctors take special time to talk about concerns or questions they are always willing to reassure that everything will be okay. In the 21st century we have computers and forms of technology that help us record patients and how they need to be treated. Instead of looking at what’s written down on the tablet or computer health care professionals should also be present with their patient and see how they can better them by having a simple conversation. You can learn a lot more about someone talking to them than what is written on a screen.
Hopefully, in the future I plan on going into med/nursing school. In the health/medical field you have to be compassionate and caring. Not only do those traits help you get the job but it helps the patients and their experience when going through a medical situation. I would want to make the experience for patients fun and easy. It’s scary going into surgery or even getting a shot and it shouldn’t be that intimidating. Doctors and nurses should treat their patients as, patients not iPatients. It’s more valuable to the patient and nurse/doctor if you take the time to be raw and authentic.
-Izze Gregan
DeleteTypically most people go to the doctor once or twice a year for a checkup. These checkups are in place to analyze our well being and health and have great influence in our lives. In the past years these checkups have become rushed and made less of importance due to the need to see more patients. Dr. Verghese rebuts this idea by speaking about the importance of touch in the medical arena. If I were a member of the medical field I would try and find a happy medium between the two ways. Knowing the importance of a conversation and how much a sign of affection means to a patient, while also doing it efficiently and effectively.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like everytime I go to the doctor I’m dreading it. I end up sitting in a waiting room for what feels like forever, go into a bland room, and feel like I’m being judged by the doctor the whole time. Not only that, but the amount of time total that I spend at the hospital actually being treated, is very slim. Numerous times I have gone to the doctor I have been misdiagnosed, and not only that, but every one of my family members have been too. My mother was misdiagnosed with a “small headache” when she actually had shingles. My sister had a cancerous mole that we didn’t have diagnosed until the third hospital we visited. When I was thirteen years old, I went to see my doctor about severe back pain I was having. Since I was a kid and there weren’t any obvious answers, the doctor told me I probably have just been over exercising and that I should just take two weeks off. Two weeks later, I was still in severe pain. It wasn’t until I went to see a physical therapist that I found out I had a herniated disc.
ReplyDeleteI 100% agree with Dr. Verghese. Doctors are so reliant on technology to solve problems for them when they are just as capable if not more because of the power of physical touch. Computers, technology, and data cannot figure out everything for us. Doctors go through schooling for such a long time for a reason. I trust my doctors to give me the correct diagnosis when they are fully invested in my health and well being, rather than just making money and getting ready for the next patient. I understand the job as a doctor is incredibly taxing and takes an immense amount of work. However, their job is incredibly important for the wellbeing of everyone in the world. If they get too lax, or rely on technology and data for answers, then people’s lives will continue to be put to risk with misdiagnoses.
If I trained to be a doctor I would focus more on the personal aspect of it, especially since that should be a main reason why people study to go into a profession in medicine. It’s not about making a lot of money, it’s about helping people and saving lives which I would hope would be my main focus if I were to be a doctor. People will be much more forgiving if a doctor messes up out of truly applying themselves and trying to find the problem and solution, rather than just trying to get patients in and out as quickly as possible.
When I was younger I had the same pediatrician for about 10 years and used to enjoy going to the doctor because of the trust and connection I had developed with him. However, now I often just see whatever doctor is available because it’s so difficult to get an appointment in general that fits into the doctor’s busy schedule as well as my own. Usually, the visits are also rushed and only about 10 minutes are spent with the actual doctor, making visiting the doctor a pretty impersonal experience. I definitely would agree that often the “I-patient” is focused on more which isn’t necessarily always a bad thing but I think it also leads to doctors skipping necessary steps and allowing technology to do them instead. However, this isn’t really the doctor’s fault because most medical professionals working for a company are expected to see a certain amount of patients every day so they have no choice but to have a quick visit that’s focussed around the “I-patient”. With that being said, it’s still very possible to have a personal and enjoyable experience at the doctor within 20 minutes so as a doctor I would try to emphasize on the doctor-patient relationship as much as possible. But in order for every patient to have a positive experience with their doctors the healthcare and insurance system will need to change.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the statement made by Dr. Verghese, it appears that many times doctors at any place of work always seem to be worried about what is on paper and it is not a true reflection of the issue with the patient. With my own experiences, is that when I have a physical issue rather than a disease, such as a broken bone or a concussion, that I receive care that is more about me than what is on paper. For me personally, if/when I become a doctor I would focus on creating a relationship with the patient that allows people to be comfortable with you which allows successful patient care to be done. When I tore my shoulder, I fully remember my physical therapist being really involved within my healing process as well as my life. He wanted to make sure him and I were doing everything we could to make sure I heal successfully and efficiently. When I am older, my goal for practicing medicine would to build a relationship with the patient first. Building a foundation and making sure they also know that I am not only a doctor, but a person. So we both see the human first and then the doctor/patient label second.
ReplyDeleteEver since I was little, I never enjoyed going to the doctor because I knew I only went there when something was wrong. I was unable to sit still in the waiting room and much too shy to answer the nurse and doctor’s questions. Watching them type what my parents described into a computer confused me. Why couldn’t they listen and diagnose so I could be on my way? At first I thought they were searching for my symptoms on the internet, then I thought they were asking other doctors around the world. That was the first time I lost trust in medicine. Later on I was misdiagnosed with a common cold when I had pneumonia. After being correctly diagnosed the doctors prescribed a medication containing Ceftin, which I was severely allergic to. After being too sick to attend school or even get out of bed for 4 weeks, I concluded that a medical professional’s diagnosis is not reliable.
ReplyDeleteDr. Verghese is completely correct in saying that many professionals focus too much on the “i-patient”. I understand that they have a lot of information to process and form a conclusion from but only looking into a computer screen while asking someone why they came to their office seems almost dismissive. Sometimes it seems they care more about getting you in and out rather than healing. The older I get the more fascinated I become on how the body works and how to fix it. If I were to become a doctor I hope I would put more emphasis on the patient in front of me rather than the computer screen. I would make them feel like my priority for the duration of their time in the office as well as after they leave.
I agree with Dr. Verghese's statements, and his philosophy on helping patients best by being present with them, listening to them, and treating them essentially as a person rather than a problem. In my experience with doctors, my favorite ones have involved the doctor spending time with me, and truly seeming to care about my problems, explaining everything to me in a way I understand. Oftentimes, my best experiences in a hospital or doctor's office comes from dealing with nurses or PA's, because they are much better at spending time listening and working with me. If I study to become a doctor, I will keep Doctor Verghese's speech in mind, and remember that it is not only very important to just know how to treat your patient, but also to develop a relationship with them.
ReplyDeleteDr. Verghese is a rarity amongst the health community and that’s something I didn’t realize until I listened to his talk. It didn’t really occur to me, until I thought about it, that except for going to get my physical, everytime I went to the doctor I would just be asked a ton of questions instead of being physically examined. I have sprained my left ankle a total of 4 times throughout highschool. I’ve gone to the doctor all 4 times to see if it was broken, as that’s how it always felt. Everytime it’s always can you bend your toes, move it left to right, up and down. Only once has a doctor actually palpated my foot. I know that my dad had the same experience as he had a hernia and he went to at least 3 different doctors before getting diagnosed. I do think that more doctors should do hands on examinations. Without it, I believe it’s difficult to truly diagnose a patient, just like the woman at the beginning of his talk who went to 4 different doctors she was never diagnosed until after she had a near death experience. I believe it’s very important to know the patient and not just what’s “wrong” with them. Understanding them and what they think will help to treat them properly. A visit to the doctor should be more physical if the patient’s problem requires it and a visit should be longer than a 40 min Q&A.
ReplyDeleteAs someone one that is interested in the medical profession I would like to have a personal connection with everyone that steps through my doors. I would want to talk to the patient and make sure when they leave they don’t feel like they have gotten nothing out of it. I would make sure that I am not wasting my patients time I wouldn't want them to wait a long time for me to get back to them because I don’t want to waste their time being in the doctor's office. I agree with what Dr. Verghese said where touch is very powerful and can help find something wrong in a body where you might have missed it in an exam.
ReplyDeleteIn consideration to how I would “change” medicine if I were to pursue a medical career, I highly agree with Dr. Verghese in his assumption that people care about the personal touch and relationship with a doctor. I would want to combine the technology that has helped medicine as a whole progress this far with the intimate experience of a doctor’s appointment.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, I remember enjoying appointments in which the doctor related to my diagnosis and was not condescending. Doctors that make it their personal goal to be present with the patient seem to be the most successful. Recently I’ve felt more and more as if doctors have rushed me out of appointments and spent little time explaining to me personally what was going on. If I ever become a doctor I would like to follow Dr. Verghese’s lead by spending time with a patient, examining them, and explaining any complications. I do see the need for technology in medicine but I’d like to find a better way of combining the use of this technology with Dr. Verghese’s view of practicing medicine.
I completely agree with Dr. Verghese. In recent years, technology has advanced so much and it has definitely helped with the medical field. But at the same time, all of this technology has led doctors to be able to know their patients without even meeting them. It can all be on a screen. I think the thing that really stood out for me was Verghese saying that doctors doing rounds, used to be around the patient's bed with interaction and giving the scared patient somebody they can trust, as well as a face to the name. But in modern-day, rounds are doctors gathered around a table discussing labs and images without even needing to see the patient. When I’ve gone to the doctor, it’s usually a long wait for a 5-minute interaction of someone telling me what's wrong, without comfort, and then they leave to move onto the next “customer”.
ReplyDeleteIf I trained to be a doctor, I think it would be crucial for me to spend more time with my patients. I think that I would need to train myself to know the patients are real, living people not just a name on a lab report in which I have to figure out what is wrong. I think that medicine needs to be redefined, although greatly aided with technology, I think it is crucial that we reintroduce time with patients, I think it would not only help the doctors visualize who they are helping; but also give the patients peace of mind and someone who they can actually trust instead of not ever having a relationship with their doctors.
I’ve had many times when doctors didn’t seem to care or didn’t want to go the extra mile. However, I’ve had many doctors who were nothing short of great in their practice. I think the stem of this is the doctors education. Doctors are taught the facts rather than dealing with patients. A possible answer to this could be to make all medical professionals take a beginner psychological class to bridge the gap between facts and emotion. This could possible help them treat patients better.
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ReplyDeleteDr.Verghese brings up the example of Dr.Bell and how he observed his patient from the second she came into his sight. He creates impressive and accurate conclusions. I think that if every doctor spent time using their impressions, observations and analysis of their patient, many health related issues could be helped quicker. If my doctor would just listen to my health story and piece together the puzzle as I go, then my timeline of healing would be shortened. My wish is that the doctor’s office becomes a place of health and betterment for the patient and not about the new incoming technology. Many times visiting the doctor’s office or hospital have I seen nurses and technicians preparing the newest model of medical machinery instead of being actively helping patients. For the future, I plan on helping the medical sales industry by transporting these large machines behind the scenes. Often times, the new models distract the doctor from his own knowledge. I believe it would be extremely beneficial if in the future, we begin to erase the “halo” that is placed on medical machinery. I plan on building the confidence and trust in the doctor’s own knowledge. I would accomplish this by using the mechanical sales industry as a second option and lessen the public’s knowledge on future tools that are being modeled and only focus on what is necessary for the public and the patients. That way, the Doctor’s relationship and actual physical touch will have greater power on the healing of the patient.
The medical field is a constantly improving and revolutionizing field in which it is easy to forget one’s original intentions for going into it. It is evident that technology is also a constantly developing field as well and is being used in order to make medicine work faster and more efficiently, but at what cost? I have always been interested by the doctors office and would stare in awe as I watched the nurse take my blood pressure or listen to my heart. However, not everyone is amazed by the doctors office and have quite different views on having to go in for their annual check ups. I believe this is because the doctor’s office has gradually become desensitized to the sentiments of its patients. Every day, doctors may have an impossible amount of patients and it makes it hard to be personal with every single one of them and it is easy to fall into a rhythm of seeing one patient, doing the generic checkup, and moving onto the next patient. This creates the illusion that the patient is less important or just another patient and therefore creates the deviation between a doctor and his patient. If I were to become a doctor, I would space out my time in order to spend more time personally with my patients. Yes, this may cost me some profit or clientele but it would provide more rewards such as connecting with your patients and slowing down the rate at which technology is taking over our lives.Overall, I think it is essential that doctors take the time to connect with their patients therefore improving overall sentiments about the field of medicine and the doctor's office in general. It is all about prioritizing your morals and what is important to you as a medical professional. Personally, I believe it is critical to give the child a gift of validation and feeling wanted and safe in a place in which its sole purpose is to monitor their well being physically, mentally, and socially.
ReplyDeleteAs I have had 2 surgeries and multiple doctor visits I know what doctors I like going to because they take time to listen to me and find out what is wrong not just putting a generic label and throwing a medicine down your throat. One doctor that comes into my mind is my orthopedic surgeon, Daniel Ocel. He was the person who repaired my 4 ligament in my ankle last year and the person who I look up to when it comes to this question. He is the doctor who tries to get to know you while testing the limits of your ankle or hip. He is the man who will tell you about his amazing rising up while also having a reason for doing what he does. He is the person who teaches while you're the one he is testing on and showing what he is testing. Being a doctor is not about going by the book, it is about knowing about your patient and what it actually going to work for them. You should not just go in and spend 5 minutes with your patient and think you know everything off the chart. You have to talk to the patient and have to get background so you can make a clear diagnosis and a clear recovery time.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dr. Verghese’s statement that we should be more focused on the patient. When It comes to my own doctor experiences I've had both good and bad ones, i've seen how a doctors touch can feel reassuring and how it can feel like they just don’t care. In this day and age with all the technology we can think of at our disposal I think that emphasis on patient content has decreased dramatically and part of that is due to that fact that it feels more like extra task to go out of your way to really connect and make your patient feel safe and in good hands. One suggestion that I would have that would hopefully change the perspective of medicine again is to really ut that emphasis of patient contact back into the training of our future doctors, nerses, etc... to the point where patient contact feels like both the doctor and the patient have known each other for years.
ReplyDeleteDr. Verghese shows the importance of viewing patients as people, not as objects to cure and then leave. He shows how important it is for doctors to use expertise in a meaningful way, and talk to and feel what their patients are going through, and to use their skills to make patients feel better, even if they know that it won’t do anything but hopefully change the patient’s mood. Back in the 50s and 60s and earlier when doctors would make house calls, they could be more personable and spend as much time with the patient as they needed. Whether sick people were healing or deteriorating, doctors would support and talk to patients a lot more than doctors do during quick appointments nowadays. Back in those times, hospitals weren’t as advanced as they are now, and a lot of the time people would only go to the hospital as a last resort.
ReplyDeleteThere was more chance of catching something in the hospital from someone else, and get cold, impersonal care when they did make the sacrifice to go. A lot of sick people, who had very little knowledge of their own health, would avoid doctors and hospitals because they felt much more comfortable in their own homes, being sick. Dr. Verghese reinstates the importance of talking and touching patients to encourage them and make them more comfortable, no matter what the patient’s sickness or ailment is.
When Dr. Vargese was talking about how rounds have changed from being in the room with the patient to only being in a room with doctors, I think that there are pros to both. When the physicians are with the patient the patient would be much more up to date with what’s going on with them. If the physicians are in their own room this could also be beneficial because it allows a much more controllable environment to brainstorm. I’m not exactly sure what the system of that looks like now, but as a doctor I would visit each patient after rounds to explain what was discussed. I would answer questions and provide any clarity. I think one of the most important roles of being a doctor is being able to work well with people and many physicians have forgotten that. I think that most doctors focus on fixing the problem and forget that people are the ones that they’re trying to fix.
ReplyDeleteWith technology, medicine has greatly changed the way doctors handle patient concerns. Many use records and past experiences to determine the health of a person instead of directly focusing on what’s in front of them. I feel like I really know nothing about my doctors and think that having a personal relationship with someone who is deciding what is good for you and your body is of utmost importance. Many people, children specifically, don’t feel comfortable telling their doctors personal information or letting their doctors examine them. When I’m sick, I personally don’t prefer going in to a doctor’s office because I feel like they won’t be able to help me. They will charge me money and turn me away. If I was to change something in medicine as a doctor, I would like to create more of an impact just like Patch Adams did. I would create a safe and open environment in which patients would choose to seek help without fear. They would be willingly to talk freely without boundaries and I would want them to know about my values and who I am. I would really put an effort into helping those in need and focus on their words and physical concerns rather than what my computer has told me about them. As a doctor, I would also try to reduce costs on medical school. It should be more affordable for those wanting to dedicate their life to helping others. Medicine is an expensive field, but I’m sure doctors would be willing to give back and donate resources and their time eventually later on in life. The cost of med school has limited many candidates with amazing potential from becoming a doctor and I think NYU has started something that needs to be recognized by all schools.
ReplyDeleteAs time goes on the medicine gains more and more technology to better the field of medicine. Although this is great and creating more possibilities for the industry, physicians can lose focus of a crucial part of the practice, the patient. The patient is not an object but is a person that is in need of help and is seeking it from you. Physicians have to connect and understand their patient in order to do their job the correct way. A patient needs to feel they are safe and finally out existing the world of pain or discomfort. In order for this to happen the physician has to remove themselves from the career and from the stress it brings and enter the world of the patient. Allow themselves to feel every cost of the disease needed to be cured. Feeling this will show the physician what really is going on and what they can do to get rid of it to make the patient better and healthier which is the ending goal no matter how you get there.
ReplyDeleteThroughout my life, I have not spent very much time in a doctor’s office. Although I have spent time at the Children’s Hospital when my little brother was diagnosed with Meningitis when he was 2 months old. Every person that walked into the room had hope for Asher because he was not supposed to live since he was so young. This supports Dr. Verghese’s point because Asher was helped by so many different doctors and nurses because it was important to them that he lived. Asher was impacted by the doctor’s touch, which is the main reason he lived. Although, I do think that doctors focus too much on the “I-patient” as well because it is becoming what is normal now. Technology has advanced so much to the point where doctors do not really have to be in the room to diagnose a patient. Medicine should be a personal thing no matter how many patients a doctor sees on a daily basis. A daily goal for doctors should be to help as many patients as they can on a personal level and really connect deeper with the patient. As a patient, it is always hard to trust a doctor because sometimes it may feel like they do not care about what is going on, and to them you are just another number on their chart. A patient should feel valued from the moment they step into the doctor’s office. Personally, if I trained to be a doctor, I would make it my goal to connect with every single patient I see on a personal level, so the patient feels comfortable and wanted in my office. I would much rather have the patient spend more time in my office than one visit so that the problem can be correctly diagnosed, rather than an “I think but I’m not positive” diagnosis. Since patient to doctor connection is the most important part, I strive to change medicine so that each doctor has an amazing connection with their patients.
ReplyDeleteHealthcare is a complicated world, but also a very meaningful world. At the heart of it all is the interactions with patients. Any good doctor I’ve ever met has spent time with their patients. My main exposure to doctor-patient interaction has been because of a clinical trial that my brother participates in. He has a rare disease called fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) which put simply turns muscles and other soft tissues to bone. The goal of the clinical trial is to test a new medication that hopefully slows the disease’s progression. During the course of this clinical trial my family has had frequent interactions with a variety of doctors. I quickly realized that the doctors that have had the biggest influence on my brother and my family were the ones that spent the most time with us. They would ask him questions about recent developments with the disease of course, but also simple questions about sports and his other interests. They made him feel valued not only as a patient but as a person. This type of interaction was vital in making my brother feel comfortable which led to the best possible care.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dr. Verghese, however I also agree that technology has an important role to play in medicine. The one thing that medicine should never lose is the personal aspect. The relationship a patient has with their doctor can greatly influence how they receive treatment. Dr. Verghese made a point of this and how valuable that relationship is. But with the increase of technology in medicine, the doctor patient relationship is going to change. Nowadays a physician can know more about a patient's medical history from a computer than the patient could tell them. This knowledge brings a lot of power that can be used to better treat the patient. Instead of having either the “I-patient” or the personal aspect, why not have both? If I do become a physician my goal would be to practice with both of these aspects working in tandem. I would get to know as much as possible about my patient through technology, but then apply that knowledge when actually seeing them. And not only applying said knowledge but also just talking to the patient as a person. Getting to know them and making them feel comfortable and important, to provide the best care possible.
Julia Lawrence- I agree with his statement because I believe that a touch means so much to a patient and helps the physician understand who the patient is. When a physician understands where the patient is coming from not just what the papers say, patients feel as if they matter. When Dr. Verghese sid “Rituals are about transformation” he meant following the old tradition of a patient-to physician relationship. He then referenced a painting of a physician with a very sick child back when there was that patient-physician relationship. The doctor was said to have laid by the child's bedside while he figured out what was going on with the patient. This painting proved that overtime we have gone away from the patient-physician relationship and are more focused on how to diagnose them as fast as possible. In my experience doctors have never tried to build a relationship with me. My pediatrician of 12 years was someone I never really looked forward to seeing. Everytime I would see her it would be a short 5 minute situation to conform to what the nurse asked me before. I just felt as if I was wasting her time out of her day. If I were ever to train a doctor I would tell them to make their patient feel special. Talk to their patients about life, their interests, and what brought them in today. I would tell them without interrupting just as Dr Verghese did, listen to why they are feeling the way they are feeling. When patients get that time to talk for themselves it makes the situation feel less transitional and makes the patient feel they have an authentic relationship with their doctor.
ReplyDeleteI haven't spent a lot of time at the doctors, other than the usual checkup and physical, however my experiences have always been pretty impersonal. I came in for a checkup, the doctor came to do her job, and that's that. After watching the T.E.D talk I have a whole new perspective on the patient/doctor relationship. I agree with Dr. Verghese, that doctors spend a huge amount of time on the “Ipatient” and not the person. Having a good relationship with your patients beyond the checkup is really important because it builds trust in the other person. A person needs to be able to trust their doctor because when relaying information about your health to another person it can be hard, especially when you feel they might judge you, but your doctor needs to know everything about your health in order to give an accurate diagnosis if there is a problem.
ReplyDeleteIf I trained to be a doctor I would want my patience to be able to trust me. If my patient trusts me they are more likely going to tell me exactly what is wrong and how it happened, which will make it easier for me to figure out what the proper diagnosis is. As someone who would like to go into sports medicine as an athletic trainer, I understand how important it is to know how an injury occurred. The way someone lands on there knee could determine the different kind of injury they sustained. Sometimes the “how” can be more embarrassing than the injury itself, but the “how” is what I need to know, which is why trust is so important. I want my patient to feel that they could tell me anything.
The technical definition of a doctor is a “qualified practitioner of medicine” but to really be a doctor means you have to have to be a certain type of person. Going into the medical field means rigorous studies and high grades, but to really succeed in your career you have to have to be compassionate and kind. When you are working with different people everyday, people of different ages, races and religion, you have to be able to treat anyone you cross paths with. In the early years of medicine, everything was done exactly like the book. Treating patients for anything other than their medical diagnosis was taboo, treating patients like they were anything more than their diagnosis was taboo. Even though the dictionary definition says a practitioner of medicine,” and actual doctor is someone who is passionate about what they do and who they care for. After watching Verghese’s T.E.D. Talk, my perspective on doctors has changed drastically because I realized that doctors may care about their patients but they still have to meet a quota and get people in and out of their office. I don't want to be the person that makes a patient feel rushed and not cared for, I want to be the person who makes a patient feel thoroughly checked over and confident in the diagnosis I have to give.
ReplyDeleteDr. Verghese makes a good point that technology has overrun the medical field. Although it is apparent that technology has revolutionized medicine, it has taken away from the relationship that a doctor should have with their patients. In the doctor’s office today, it seems that as a patient we are merely an inconvenience to our busy doctors who quickly treat us with technology rather than care. Research supports these ideas, showing that ER docs now spend 43% of their time on electronic health records inputting data and 28% seeing patients. These percentages prove the points that doctor Verghese was making. Technology is taking away from the bond between a patient and their doctor. This change in what “care” means to doctors today has drastically shifted from what it used to, leading them to get a negative outlook from most people.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to make a change in the medical field, I would aspire to change this negative outlook that doctors have today by encouraging doctors to treat their patients with genuine care. I would stress the importance of making every patient feel safe rather than uncomfortable and important rather than an inconvenience. I think that Patch Adams is a great example of the type of doctor’s we should aim to be today. In the clip we watched in class you can see his sincere connection to his patients. He strives to make his patients feel happy even though they are sick. The way that Patch Adams treats his patients creates a positive environment in the doctor’s office/ ER for everyone. For changes like these to be met, doctors must stray away from technology and redefine what they consider to be “care”.
- Elena
I’ve spent my entire life thinking that I’d be a pediatrician. I’ve been saying that since I was a kid myself, in the 2nd grade. I mulled it over for the next seven years of my life, up until I started high school, and then it hit me: why? Why did I want to be a pediatrician? Because I love kids? Well, I don’t...not enough. Medicine and becoming a doctor, I understood, wasn’t just about helping kids anymore, I don’t know why I thought it ever was. Not to say it isn’t important, it might arguably be one of the most important, but I truly believe pediatrics isn’t where I’d be most effective. It’s about helping the whole, the people, which yes, does include them. But more importantly, how can I go about it?
ReplyDeleteI met a few peers in high school who knew exactly what type of doctor they wanted to be. A fascination with skin and/or their own history with skin issues lead one person to dermatology. An early interest in the brain lead another to neurosurgery. So I asked myself, because I was as lost as a fish on land, “If I could cure one thing- disease, condition, disability- and completely eradicate it from this world, what would it be?” I thought it’d be a hard question to answer, but I had my conclusion: anxiety. Lo and behold, I THINK I’d be interested in psychiatry, that is to say if I go down the medical route.
So no, I don’t know if I truly want to be a “doctor” doctor. But psychology, psychiatry, neurology is what makes sense with me. It feels like it fits, for now at least. I’ve always had a personal journey to find answers as to how to live the best life mentally. Why must that journey be only personal? That means from a psychological approach of why humans do and feel the things we do and feel, as well as a philosophical approach of is there an ideal way to live in order to maximize experience, and how should humans go about it? My goal is self- improvement and self betterment, especially when my brain tells me I’m wrong, and my body warns me of a fictional impending doom. There must be a way to overcome this, live despite it.
I suppose that means I would want to be the doctor that understands a patient- their mind- as their own in order to properly help it. I would want to understand a patient from multiple points of view, see them for both their literal chunks of brain, as well as their upbringing, their traumas, their stories, their limitations, their genetic history, and simply put: their lives. Why makes this person this person?
For all the talk of of doctors being unfeeling nerds, I’d want to be the doctors that is feeling because that is the only way I would do my job right.
Every time I have ever gone into my doctors office I wait for what seems like an eternity. The nurse will walk in with her clipboard and call my name leading me past all these empty rooms until we reach the end of the hall. She leaves a paper gown for me to change into and leaves. Once dressed and seated on the cold leather seat I wait. My Doctor always seems to come in either tired or annoyed, and when we make eye contact the fake smile plasters across his face. He asks me the same questions every visit, why are you here, where is the pain, on a scale of one to 10. It is like a script, but with no emotion. Waiting for the Doctor takes more time than the actual appointment. He usually has written a prescription within the first five minutes and has me out the door. All my doctor visits have been like this, so to me this is normal, but according to Dr. Verghese it should not be like this. I think it is important to get to know the patient because medicine is a very difficult subject and symptoms don't always line without background context.
ReplyDeleteDr. Verghese is right- doctors focus too much on the “I-patient” and their visits with patients are often impersonal. Last year, I had some pretty significant heart problems that prevented me from doing swim team. It took months to get in to the doctor, and because of that I couldn’t pass my physical and missed the deadline to register for the sport I love. When I finally got in to see the cardiologist, he glanced at my ECG and decided to send me on my way. He didn’t even ask my name or wonder how this had affected me emotionally, not just physically. If I trained to be a doctor, I would have a different outlook on treating patients. I believe that there is a big connection between mental and physical health. Happiness and health go hand in hand. Taking care of people’s spirits and physical bodies would be my motto as a health professional. I would see the person before the illness. I would see them as more than just a sick or injured person. Instead, I would see that they are a person who has passions, goals, dreams, and feelings that can’t be seen by looking at a CAT scan or X-Ray. I would want to know what they were thinking and feeling, which are things that you can’t see with your eyes, but are equally as important as a physical illness.
ReplyDeleteIf I become a doctor, I want to be someone who is unlike my main physician. I want to be someone who fully listens to the patient and doesn’t interrupt them when they are talking. I want to trust the patients with what they say. Often, it feels like my doctor doesn’t actually listen to what I say and accuses me of lying. It’s frustrating because when I’m there, there’s no point to lie because I’m trying to be helped. I want to be the type of doctor that people enjoy going to because the more you like the doctor, the more willing you are to get help that you might need.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many kinds of doctors within Colorado, and within America that no two doctors are the same. In some cases I do believe that a doctor does just focus on the symptoms at hand, make a diagnosis, and then prescribe antibiotics because they have to see another patient in an hour. However, I do not think that is the mindset they intend to have. If they did not care about patients they would not have put themselves through multiple years of med school. Even though there a financial benefits to becoming a doctor, if they did not have the patient's best interest at heart they could have found another job to make that much money. If I were to go into medicine I am not sure that there is much I would change except maybe the doctors spend a little more time with patients. The nurses are the ones who are really pushed when it comes to having the best bedside manor. If there is any possibility to create more jobs for doctors, than they will have a smaller amount of patients to see, creating more time for them. This then allows them to dig a little deeper if necessary into a diagnosis. For the most part though, today I believe that doctors really do push to make sure their patients do not have to wonder if there is something more.
ReplyDeleteThe last time that I went to the doctor I got my paper from the front desk and I waited for about 10-15 minutes to get seen by the secretary due to so many people. I was wondering why it took so long even though I had an appointment that now didn’t seem to matter. I finally got into the room for the nurse or doctor to see me and I waited there for about another 10-15 minutes too until someone came in. The nurse came in and automatically went to the computer and that was normal for me because they normally sign in and see my medical history. She asked me why I was in today, still looking at the computer, and then looked and did a normal procedure of checking my blood pressure and temperature. Next, the doctor went back to her computer and said I was due for a couple of shots and then asked if I was able to get those today. I said yes I was able to, then she went out of the room for about 5 minutes and came back with the needles and then did my physical. The rest of the visit was just the shots and then they had me leave with a paper saying I did my physical. I think that we focus a lot on the i-patient part of doctors visits or we completely disregard the doctor’s touch. I would change that by not using the computer unless I need to, and I would connect with my patient to make sure they know that I actually care about them and their illness. I think that connecting with your patients is the only way to treat a patient and them connecting with their doctors so that they can trust them.
ReplyDeleteAdvances in technology have created a world where every problem can be seemingly solved with a “click.” Going over patient profiles, disseminating important information, and assessing the health of a patient seems to all be done in front of a screen now. For example, I absolutely loved my primary care physician. He was the doctor for both my brothers (the oldest being 27 now) and saw us all grow up; however, he retired last year. Now, I see a girl who barely even looks me in the eye, let alone ask how my family is doing or if senior year is treating me well. I therefore feel less comfortable around her. I know I am not the only one who feels this way, but this could have catastrophic outcomes, including feeling too uncomfortable to tell your doctor a vital piece of information that could one day save your life, all because doctors no longer treat you as a human being, but rather as a series of diagnosis’ and treatments.
ReplyDeleteIf there was one thing I could change in medicine it would be the conversations. I completely agree with the power of touch, but more so I just want to feel comfortable with my doctor, and that starts with him or her asking me how my day was.
In the few times I have had to go to the doctor the routine has been relatively the same: wait exceptional amounts of time to be seen (after showing up exactly when they tell you to), spending 90% of your visit with the nurse as they jots down notes that will be relayed to the doctor, and then finally getting to see the doctor. During the brief visit with the doctor they list off what they heard from the nurse, tell you what might be the issue, and name off prescriptions you must now pick up. Anytime I have been physically examined was done by a nurse.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dr. Verghese. Doctors seem to have lost their personable traits that allow the patient to feel comfortable and well taken care of. It’s easy to lose sight of patient care with the advancements of technology and the amount of people they attend to every day. In my experience, they tend to pay more attention to the document of potential issues than the person as a whole. Their fast and stressful work environment can sometimes allow them to come across as dismissive.
I understand that patients feelings are not medically the most important and the necessity of physical touch may have become outdated. However, If I were to continue into the field of medicine I would be more attentive to the rather lacking patient care that doctors can be known for. It’s just as important for the patient to feel comfortable as it is being well assessed and taken care of.
The medical world is a business. This has shifted a lot of morals to be focused on profit over the well being of the patients. My sister has dealt with ulcerative colitis for most of her early teenage years. Through this her and my mom have dealt with numerous doctors pushing drugs, medications, etc. that are overpriced and more risky than needed. My mom had to turn down a number of doctors that didn’t have my sister’s best interest in mind, and that was extremely difficult. It shouldn’t have been a problem to occur. If I were to enter the medical field, my goal would be to push for more ethical care, enforcing my purpose of why I am doing what I am. I believe strongly in the power of human connection, and through helping better ones physical being, you have the capability to better their (and your own) mentality. Specifically I aim to be a reconstructive surgeon, however regardless of the path I choose, the ethics will be of utmost importance.
ReplyDeleteWe, as humans, are incredibly instinctual. In this modern age of screens, it’s easy to forget about these instincts, or let them blend away, forgotten, into our everyday lives. But it’s these driving instincts that have, for centuries, led us to seek help when feeling ill. Even in the past, when the expected treatment plan from doctors was to stay home and rest, people still found themselves in barbershops asking for service. This inherent need to seek professional, trusted help is still in us, and is what drives us to visit the doctor today.
ReplyDeleteWhat seems most flawed to me regarding the modern medical field is that the patient isn’t cared about the same way discoveries are. Is the new goal in the medical field to be the first to study/treat this/that? In Ricki. Lewis’s book, The Forever Fix: Gene Therapy and the Boy Who Saved It, a common theme is the lack of compassion for patients in fields of research sciences. For patients with rare conditions, it can sometimes feel like they are being looked at as science experiments, guinea pigs, rather than humans. Although the location of a mutated gene specific to a genetic disease may be a major scientific breakthrough, it may not be as exciting to the patient- since it will be years and years until this discovery contributes to some miracle drug or treatment to “cure” said patient.
When someone comes to a doctor with a problem, there is a level of vulnerability they must lay out. And when a doctor is more concerned about making new scientific discoveries, the presented vulnerability is shattered.
If I ever become a medical professional, my main philosophy would be equal parts trust and empathy. Because using a façade of surface level sympathy to mask true intentions of scientific discovery is no way to treat a sick and struggling patient. If I were to become a doctor one day, my philosophy would be to do all things with compassion, and serve my patients with the empathy they need.
I really agree with everything that this doctor is commenting on and I’ve definitely seen it in my own life. Each year I have to get a physical for extra curricular activities and I typically go to small clinics with random people I don’t really know. Even though it’s just a simple physical, it’s really easy to see who is taking their time and being really thorough and who is just getting through the physical to do the next one. It’s really odd because I’ve found that younger nurse practitioners are typically more thorough. I think part of the reasoning for this is because most people look at the medical field as a way to help people, but it’s easy to lose touch with the patient and rely too much on technology. I think part of the reason people get more invested in the “I-patient” is simply because it’s easier to handle unpleasant or hard diagnosis if you’re not working with the physical patient on a daily basis and are only seeing their chart. If I were a doctor, I’d try to combat this problem by trying to create a required procedure that ensures that doctors follow the ritual Dr. Verghese talks about. By making sure that there is a separate time for talking to the patient and giving a physical, it ensures that the doctor is taking time to make sure the patient feels cared about and looked after, which adds a lot to patient care and the patient experience.
ReplyDeleteDr. Verghese emphasizes the importance of a “doctor’s touch,” explaining that doctors should focus on their patients as humans who need reassurance that they’re getting good treatment rather than simply being numbers on a chart to be analyzed. I think that being a doctor or anyone in the medical field relies very much on people skills and being able to make your patients comfortable around you and your practice. If I could change one thing in the medical field I would say it should be more personable. Being a doctor is a job, but part of it is dealing with people and making sure they feel like they can trust you. When people trust their doctors, they’re more likely to go along with what they suggest in terms of treatment, medication, and resting for injuries. I’ve known my doctor for a very long time, but I couldn’t tell you anything about her other than she’s a doctor, and I doubt she knows anything about me besides my medical history.
ReplyDeleteThe connection between patient and doctor is a one on one relationship that is important to making the patient feel like they are being helped and valued as something other than numbers on a screen. As a patient, the doctors I value most are the ones who I can connect to regardless of the reason for my visit. It creates a human connect that makes them feel more like a friend who is helping me to get better. If I were to pursue a medical career I would find it important to get to know the patient, and make sure they feel like their issues are something that I care personally to care for. They're not just some name on my schedule I'm trying to rush through. While with them, they are my priority.
ReplyDeleteAs I move into my future, I want to be somebody who’s name means something to others. I want to bring hope to people, and what their future will be as well. I want to use my experiences to bring others comfort as well as a newfound faith in the system. I know that the majority of people have lost confidence in the medical field, and most absolutely dread walking into a doctors office for any reason at all. Some are not able to afford the help that they desperately need.
ReplyDeleteThere is no need to refuse to help people because they are struggling in other areas of life. I want to create a new standard for care with the time and energy that goes into it, as well as create a new level of acceptance of patients.
As a society, we act in certain ways when we have specific jobs. As a student, we learn how and what to learn based almost all though technology. In business, we use computers and communicate by email. In the field of law, there are more rules to follow than just listening to a client. As doctors, they are taught everything they need to diagnosis a patient, but in 2019 rely on images, test, and computers to diagnose their patients. Information that was once committed to memory is now at the touch of a finger to a computer rather than a finger to a body. So as humans, we have lost the human touch in just about every aspect of learning and dealing with other humans.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has spent a lot of time in a hospital, I have my opinion. In treatment for cancer, for 367 days over two years. I am followed still to this day for long term side effects and study protocols. I understand how a patient needs to feel cared for, listened to, touched, and build trust in your doctor that is in charge of your care. Knowing you can tell your doctor cares about you and spends time understanding who you are and what your going through is an integral part of treatment and recovery.
Going to the hospital can be so stressful and intimidating when you don't have a personal relationship with your doctors. During my treatment, I had an Oncologist, Radiologists, Residents, Researchers, a Transplant team of four doctors and three nurses. They all knew me my body, my disease, and how to treat all of it, which can be hard when I was only 5. My doctor and team took the time to know me and to how best handle a tough situation, and it was all built on trust. The first thing one of my doctors told me was they "Would always tell me the truth, even if I wasn't going to like!" it because then I would know; that what they told me would be correct.
Don't get me wrong without technology and scans and tests they would not have been able to treat and cure me. So after the surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and test the relationships with my doctors is what got me through.
I have only had good experiences at the Doctor's office. I have never gone to the Doctor and felt like anything was missing with my checkup, I felt like they hit all of the key points and that there was enough hands on from the doctors that I was confident with their diagnosis and treatment.
ReplyDeleteI feel like hands on treatment from Doctors is extremely important, for many reasons for a solid connection between the doctor and the patient, I personally feel more confident in a doctor that has thousands of hours of training and that has worked with a wide variety of patients over a computer that looks ar me more like a number than a person.
If I go into the medical field, I would want to have a very strong relationship with my patients, I believe it is important to have an emotional connection with people and the fact that we are integrating more technology into medicine, we are taking that valuable connection away.
To address the time spent with patients first--I 100% agree with Dr. Verghese philosophy. The time Doctors spend with their patients is irreplaceable. It reassures the patient that they actually care about them and are actively trying to help them. Not only this but many time extensive face to face exams may reveal different signs and symptoms that will lead to a more accurate diagnosis. The reason I call his thinking a philosophy though is because even though he is able to have these long and drawn out experiences with his patients it is because like he mentioned in the video he is privately hires by families. This allows him to put all of his efforts to one or few patients at a time, while many doctors that work with general practices have to split their time between patients. I also agree with him when he talks about the "IPatient". I feel like many times the doctors rely to heavily on the basic X-ray or other common diagnostic tools to diagnose someone. I have several experiences when I have gone into the doctors and have been misdiagnosed because of these basic tests or not diagnosed at all. The worst part without a doubt from these experiences is that when they see the results, they start treating you different and asking different questions like "What would you say your pain tolerance is". This question and more like these make it seem like they do not believe you or think you are lying, when in reality it is a serious problem that they have missed but are now dismissing. I feel like in general all doctors should try to spend more time with their patients but in many cases it is not possible for the Doctors to spend the needed amount of time with each patient.
ReplyDeleteSome believe that doctors focus too much on the “I-patient” rather than the person. I would tend to agree with this. Thinking about my experiences at the doctor's office, I usually feel like just another patient they are trying to get through quickly. After watching Doctor Verghese’s Ted Talk I noticed that this isn’t unusual. Often, doctors see a patient as a problem they need to figure out rather than a person, there are few doctors that truly care about the patient at hand. The ability to talk to the patient and make them feel happy, safe, and cared about is often a very important part of being a doctor that is usually overlooked. If I trained to be a doctor, I would aspire to be like Verghese and Patch Adams because of how caring they are and how much of an impact they have made.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in the fifth grade, I started to notice a decline in my hearing, and as time went on, it ceased completely. I proceeded to go to the doctor, expecting an ear infection or something of the sort. Instead I learned I was deaf in my left ear with an unknown cause. I can still vividly remember how disheartening and rapid the appointment was. My doctor entered the room, quickly spilled out my diagnosis, explained my lack of options and bolted out the door without looking back. I didn’t feel like a person, I felt as though I was just the next patient, the next file carelessly thrown on someone’s desk. I received life changing news within a span of five minutes, by a doctor lacking all compassion. I agree with Dr. Verghese completely. Nowadays, it seems as though doctors have lost the ability to make their patients feel understood, and cared for. In my opinion, they become so engrossed in the amount of patients they have to see, and the technology they have at hand, resulting in completely faltering in patient care. Although we have made incredible strides with technology, we still have to return to the basics and perform physical exams and have genuine conversations with patients. If I choose to enter this field, this would be one of my priorities. I want to make sure that my patients feel as though they are heard, and understood, and taken care of. I would never want a patient of mine to feel like I did in that moment. In order to do this, I would use tactics similar to Dr. Verghese and set aside a chunk of time for a diligent physical exam and conversation.
ReplyDeleteFrom my experiences in a doctor’s office, I have not felt unattended to or disregarded as Dr. Verghese claims many physicians do. I also don’t believe that every single patient needs to be examined as closely as Dr. Verghese examines. Of course, there are many cases that the examination is necessary and as a doctor, in the future, I want to always make sure that I am l providing the patient with the necessary care. My goal is to be someone who is comforting in patients time of need, and someone others can trust to do their job well and thoroughly. If I were to be trained to be a doctor, I would like to have rounds be in rooms again, instead of just on a computer screen, in order to build a more personal connection. My goal in the medical field is to always put the patient first, make sure that they feel taken care of, and show them that someone is putting in all of their effort in order to try to help them.
ReplyDeleteMedicine has always been about getting the fastest diagnosis instead of what is really important which is conforming to each patient and helping their specific needs. In the future of veterinary medicine, patients should not just have to refer to the office when something isn't working properly, but for more often wellness checkups. This not only keeps animals healthier but more comfortable with the office and the physician. Also animals should not be petrified to go to the vet because in the long run it makes the whole process of fixing the issue prolonged and much more difficult. The vet should spend more time getting the animal used to them, and their scent before the actual thorough examination so the animal is more laid back. Also owners should be allowed to stay with their animals throughout the entire process unless under anesthesia, because it makes the animal more comfortable and easier to complete the procedure. Animals shouldnt be overwhelmed with a ton of technicians in the room but when kept more intimate they feel more relaxed. Animals also deserve the courtesy and respect to be strictly and individually tailored to.
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ReplyDeleteDr. Verghese makes a compelling point about the importance of a doctor’s touch. In the medical field today we no longer know the feeling of a doctor’s touch, which is a cause for grave concern. A doctor’s touch goes beyond physical, and includes the touch doctor’s have on their patients emotions; yet still, both of these factors of touch have been completely diminished in the medical field today. We go into the doctor’s office and it feels as if we are treated in 2 minutes and by technology, rather than the doctor him/herself. It seems that doctors value the “I patient” more than actual patients themselves, yet the “i patient” doesn’t let doctors truly understand what a patient is going through. This is reflected in my experience at the doctor’s office. Today, I feel like they rush through my appointment, don’t care about me or how I actually feel. When I was younger, things were much different. It seemed that my pediatrician actually cared about me, she would ask me about my life, would focus on me rather than inputting data into an ipad, she made me feel valued and she had the doctor’s touch, which seems obsolete in every doctor I have had once I grew up. If I were to train to be a doctor I would aspire to bring back the practices before technology overran the doctor’s office. I would bring back the doctor’s touch and the relationship between the doctor and patient. Technology is a great advancement and I am not saying to take it away but to still make time for a doctor to get to know their patient and in some cases vice versa.
Medicine is constantly evolving and changing. Dr. Verghese talks about how medicine today has lost the physical touch of doctors. Technology has come to be the biggest part of medicine and it is resulting in the doctors doing more work away from the patient rather than with the patient. Doctors still diagnose things today, but are missing the biggest part of the case, the actual patient. When I go to my doctor’s office, my doctor always examines me and makes sure she knows exactly what's going on. I have been to urgent care many times where they give me a random steroid and it doesn’t help. Then I go to my normal doctor and she puts me on something completely different and I start to feel better. I think the most important thing a doctor can do is talk and listen to the patient and exam them. The newest medical machinery can solve a lot of things but only the doctors can actually help a patient. If I trained to be a doctor, I would just go back to the basics. I would rely more on myself to diagnose the patient rather than machines and not having contact. My main focus would be to view patients as people that I have to get to know and not just a statistic on the screen. My philosophy would be to give all my patients good and equal care so that they would know that they are in good hands.
ReplyDeleteAs a doctor, I want to be relatable. Often times I find myself intimidated by doctors because of their intelligence; the feeling gets amplified when they have a “holier than thou” attitude because of their accomplishments. Of course, I think that doctors should get recognition and praise for all they have completed throughout their life; however, I think it’s important to talk with patients rather than at them. I want to come across as someone who is trustworthy and professional, but also someone who is able to talk about everyday, normal activities outside of work. I want to get to know my patients, their likes and dislikes, and their hobbies, and I think it’s important that I share some of mine. It’s easy to feel awkward in a doctors office, and my goal is for there to be little to no tension between myself and my patients. Going to the doctors isn’t an enjoyable experience, so it’s my priority to make it as great as possible.
ReplyDeleteIn my own personal doctor experience, I have felt like another number. Typically, the doctors try their best to socialize and treat you nice and friendly, but there just isn’t enough time. The world today is so based around money that the doctor’s office is simply just trying to keep up. To make more money, you need to have more patients. Therefore, they cram as many patients as they can in a day which causes the rush through the visit. Ideally, Dr. Verghese is 100% correct in the fact that a doctor's touch is very important and that connections should be made between the doctor and the patient. Connections should be made and doctors should get to sit down and really know their patient before assessing them, but in today's world and how society works, it makes it very hard to do that. They really have to focus on the I-patient and keep their numbers up if they want to make a profit and stay in business, which leads me to what I would change. I would find other ways to make money so that the office could not take in as many patients. If more offices are set up, it would split patients up more and therefore create less patients per office which helps to make bonds between the doctors.
ReplyDeleteThe way Dr. Verghese treats his patients seems very distant from the way that most patients are treated currently. As a child, I adored the idea of being able to go to the doctor and being able to complete what was needed within the hour. Getting older, it almost felt as if I was a medical file; A doctor reviews me, does what is needed in the quickest way possible, and is on to the next file without concern. When encountered with a doctor who creates an environment of trust and compassion, it seems surreal and the time I wished to have gone by quickly, became a wish for a more detailed time with the doctor. Doctors are meant to help people heal, meaning their touch could make the biggest difference. Having a doctor with a touch that is more than just the “I-patient” creates a relationship that drives patients to come back in enjoyment. Medicine should be about compassion towards the patient, not just the file behind the patient. Doctors like Dr. Verghese, make this world a considerably better place.
ReplyDeleteDr. Verghese says that the most important innovation in medicine is the power of the human hand. I don’t have a lot of experience with constantly coming in and out of doctor’s offices, throughout my years it’s always been for the normal yearly physical. I’ve been going to the same pediatrician for years and I still can’t even remember her name. There’s no personal connection, just the usual extensive surveys about mental health and unrelated questions that have nothing to do with the patient and of course the simple physical part of the checkup. I agree with Dr. Verghese’s philosophy of becoming more personal with their patients and not just seeing them as yet another number in their schedule. Connecting to a patient on a more emotional and personal level, being able to relate to each other and developing a bond face-to-face instead of a voice and a keyboard with information a doctor will only refer to when the patient is in their room. As a doctor, I would be more emotionally connected with my patients and make their time coming into my office more worthwhile. I would get to know more about them before proceeding into the usual questions about the physical and health aspect of the patient that just goes posted into a bunch of files. Taking the time with a patient makes it more meaningful.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part my experiences in doctor’s offices have been pleasant ones, but I have been to my share of appointments where I spent the majority of my time sitting around waiting for the doctor to come tell me what is going on. Part of this is attributed to said doctor’s load of patients and time constraints, but it has still left me feeling a little less than totally attended to. If I have felt this way only a few times out of my doctor visits, I can only imagine how this might frustrate someone who would have to see the doctor more than I do. If I were trained to be a doctor, I would like to prioritize communication with my patients. I have heard plenty of stories of people that have not received the help they needed from a doctor because the doctor only looked at their paperwork, asked them a few questions, and did not talk enough to the patient about what they were really going through, resulting in inadequate treatment, or worse, a misdiagnosis. I would hope to avoid a mistake like this by making sure any patients of mine are properly cared for.
ReplyDeleteIn just several years, the environment of doctors offices have changed significantly. Though doctors tend to be very crunched for time, I believe it’s crucial that each patient gets enough attention to be properly cared for. I have always loved my pediatrician because he always heard me out and managed to fit me in his schedule. Personally, I’ve had more trouble with doctors that are well known for being very trained in a specific area. Time with busier and more specialized doctors has made me realize how rushed they really are, and how frustrating it can be to be their patient. When you have to wait weeks and weeks to see a specialized doctor when you are really sick, it is important that the time that you do have with them feels like it is being spent well. Often times, it feels too rushed to even be able to clearly describe what’s going on.
ReplyDeleteIf I go into medicine, I really hope to be the kind of doctor that makes sure to listen to the patient and let them feel heard. When someone is in pain, they need to feel like they are heard in what they are going through. I also believe that medical school should be less expensive so that more people can become doctors and see more patients; because often times, doctors have an impossible amount of patients to see in one day. In doing this, each patient could feel more valued and heard. I do think the development of technology is immensely helping the world of medicine, but I also recognize that older techniques can be a crucial part of understanding a sickness. I think that any patient deserves to be examined in whatever way they are most comfortable with, and any way that would be most beneficial to their health. I also think that hospitals need more mental health staff in order to support patients and families that are extremely ill. I believe that emotional and physical health do have some sort of correlation, so I think it would be valuable to consider that in hospital environments.
From my own experience in the doctor’s office, I think doctors can be very focused on business and not truly connecting personally with their patients. If I trained to be a doctor, I think I would create a balance between efficiency and quality. Medical offices need to have order that allows for patients and their families to be in and out pretty quickly, but also know exactly what’s going on with their bodies and how to heal. I think in most situations doctor’s offices have an extremely long wait time, filling out paperwork, where you wait your turn for 30 minutes on average. Then, after waiting all that time you’re in an environment with the doctor for approximately 10 minutes. If I were to become a doctor, I think I would make it so there is more of a relationship with the patient, shorten the wait time, and make sure the patient is completely clear on what exactly is occurring and what medication is necessary to fix the illness, instead of leaving patients confused and frustrated.
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ReplyDeleteI have had a few, too many times in the doctor's office from concussions, bruised ribs, sprained ankles and fingers, but during all those visits you see how the doctors services change throughout time. They want to get you in and out od their office a soon as possible. On that regard, I agree with Dr.Verghese statement about helping patients more. Throughout time it went from being surrounded with your patients and putting time and effort into them. To be locked in a room and surrounded by other doctors. What are they missing you ask? The patient.
For that matter, I believe that more doctors should go back the way they use to do. By putting effort and time into them. Instead of being locked in the room. Giving patients hope instead of going home and thinking they’re going to die the next day. Or when there sitting in the hospital bed in pain and there stuck. In a way, we should have more Patch Adams. Patch Adams went past the book and made sure that the patients were happy. He made them feel happy and distracted them from what was going on. HE gave them hope when there wasn't any. A lot more doctors need to be like that. They need to be not only the people that put there face in a book or in front of a screen but put the patients first. Remember why they went into that field? What change did they want to make? Did they really make that change?
While I agree with Dr. Verghese when he says that doctors often focus too much on measurable symptoms of patients and digital records instead of just speaking with the patient, I would argue that there are still lots of valuable things that a doctor can learn about a patient without necessarily speaking to them. Due to many insurance policies, general practitioners are required to see a high volume of patients in a short period of time in order to keep their practice afloat. Taking the time to do the proper examinations that Dr. Verghese describes in his TED talk is no longer practical. While I-patient records give doctors a much less personal insight into the medical problems that a patient may have, I think that in most situations, digital records and patient history forms are possibly just as effective and a much more efficient way of making an initial diagnosis.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Dr. Verghese was saying in his Ted Talk. Sometimes medical professionals focus too much on the “I-patient.” I can understand how the patient's information on the screen can be useful to all doctors, but I think that really examining the patient is more useful than all that information that is stored on the computer. Most all the information that is the computer can really be found by talking to and examining the patient. I believe that a big part of medicine is interactions with the patient. When going to the doctor, people expect to be treated with respect. Most do not want doctors to just look at all the data on the computer. But they want to feel like they are important and a priority. Going back to the roots of medicine when all the fancy machines like x-rays were not invented, doctors had to examine the patient. Because of this I believe that the one thing that I would change about medicine would be the focus on the patient. Medical professionals should always do a thorough examination of the patient before going straight to the data on the computer.
ReplyDeleteGoing to the doctor can be intimidating. People hustling around moving from place to place in a hurry can be stressful. I have felt this way walking into the doctor's office as well. Moving quickly and asking many questions that I may not know the answers to can be a lot of pressure. Often it feels as if they are trying to get you out of there as quickly as possible. Not being able to slip a word in, the doctor already tells me what my “diagnosis” is before I have completed telling him what is bothering me. Going to the doctor should be a good experience, and it has been many times for me. But when not all doctors have the same standards it can be difficult to get treated. The “I-patient” is definitely something that I have seen in my experience. Bombarded with questions about previous shots or allergies that I don't know the answer to can be difficult, and many times they tell me I need a shot that I don't even understand the reason for giving it to me. If I was a doctor my main focus would be to listen to the patient. Many times I wish that I would have more time to talk about what the problem is. I would want to give patients a place where they would feel comfortable and not judged for the pain or discomfort they are having. I would try my best not to rush them because high stress situations can cause confusion and I would want to make sure that I had all the information to ensure that the patient receives the right treatment.
ReplyDeleteA physician’s office can be an incredibly daunting place for a patient. With a doctor’s office, there is also fear. Whether or not a patient has planned to be at their doctor’s office for a routine checkup, or a patient has been rushed to the emergency room for a pending diagnosis of concerning symptoms, each patient has a fear. The job of healthcare professionals, outside of providing the most accurate diagnoses and relevant treatments to the ailments of a patient, is to provide the best holistic care to the patient, both physically, and psychologically. Everyone at a physician’s office is in a vat of fragile vulnerability, and by listening to the patient, allowing them to express this vulnerability, the physician gains insight to the nature of the illness, gaining credibility in the patient’s perspective. So commonly is the primary care of a patient dismissed by the businesses perspective of a physician, when the “I-patient” becomes more important than the human patient present at the office. Offering examinations and suggestions to the patient after listening to the entirety of their claims can cause an extreme impact on the patient. This can cause the patient to trust the doctor more, listen to their advice, and carry out the doctor’s instructions more. When the patient feels like they are capable of trusting the doctor, it’s far easier for the patient to carry out the instructions of the doctor. The more concentration is shifted from the “I-patient” to an actual patient, the better care will be provided to each patient.
ReplyDeleteDr. Verghese brings up a very valuable point about the connection between doctor and patient. One of his statements that really stuck with me was where he talked about how a patient could come in missing a leg, and the doctors would not believe them until they had and MRI scan and all sorts of tests proving it. I remember my experiences where a doctor was doubtful about what I said until it was proven to be true. Although I understand that having prof is the only way to be sure about something, but in order to have a good relationship with a patient, the doctor should listen to their side of the story and put themselves in their shoes. If I trained to become a doctor, I would make sure to value the relationship between patient and doctor as Dr. Verghese describes, and make it a main goal of mine to make the patient feel comfortable. I think it would also be very beneficial for doctors to focus less on the “I-patient” especially when it comes to discussing things about the patient and about their treatment.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am unsure as to whether or not I want to become a doctor, I still think a doctor’s values while treating patients are important. Dr. Verghese brought up the point that the person to person connection between a doctor and patient is being overlooked because of advancing medical technology. The patient is a person and should be treated like one who deserves to tell their story and be listened to. They deserve the proper care and attention they would have received prior to technological advancements. Because of the “I patient” the actual patient is overlooked, which should never be the case. I think training as a doctor should be focused on the patient coming first and treatment second. Treatment should not be ritualistic and should be individualized based on each individual's experience. I think that more doctors should share the values of Dr. Verghese.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that I want to practice a medical profession, except for possibly physical therapy. However, whether in a medical profession or not, I want to treat people with respect and courtesy that all doctors should give their patients. Dr. Verghese described the way to do this in his profession with examples of how he runs his office versus how many others now run their offices, which is often familiar to most people. You may visit the doctor and be there for an hour but only actually be seen and checked in on with the doctor for 5 total minutes. My doctors have always been pleasant and funny, but usually The nurse spends the most time actually observing me and the doctor will just stop by for a final quick check. Nowadays, doctors tend to spend more time analyzing the data and information on their computer then actually physically examining the patient. Dr. Verghese hopes for a change in medicine closer to how it used to be when he was young, where patients are comforted and cared for personally. His praise for one on one connections and emphasizing the importance of each patient was very moving. Patch Adams represented his passion to serve others through the joy and smiles that he shared with them, which is what made him such a memorable and institutional doctor.
ReplyDeleteMy overall career goal is to become an anesthesiologist. Lots of responsibility comes within this profession. You have to be very accurate with no mistake. With this in mind, I would have to be passionate. If not, I would slack in striving for perfection which is the only acceptable status. Since it is impossible, I would need to continue to push myself in order to get as close to it as I can. While it is very serious and straight forward, I have to be able to be understanding and considerate so I am aware of what my patient is going through. Anesthesia is very ticky tack and the slightest amount can risk the patient's life. They are trusting in you to do your job correctly. I must realize that they are hesitant and scared. One thing I could never do is never lie to them. There is a fine line between comforting and just giving false information. The foundation of trust comes from honesty. Human interaction is very important because then they can connect with you on a personal level rather than only professional.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to pursue a career in medicine, I would try to be similar to Dr. Verghese. To put the treatment first, but also try and connect with the patient. Even if the patient is given a little hope that could make a huge difference in the outcome. A treatment can be just as psychological as it is physical and a patient can determine whether a doctor cares about them or sees them as their next scheduled meeting.
ReplyDeleteBased on my experience in the past with doctors, some doctors I’ve been to have definitely had the “doctor’s touch” and know how to focus on the person. They give you get the sense that they genuinely care about you as their patient and want to make you feel like you are in good hands, rather than just focusing on the examinations and when their next appointment is. I think it is a necessity that all doctors must have exceptional people skills and know how to comfort a patient. I think that social skills is a completely separate skill from just being a doctor that separates the good from the mediocre. If it is not already in place in today’s medical schools, I think doctors should be trained on a course focused primarily on doctor to patient relationships and developing those skills focus on the person you’re examining not just the “I-patient”
ReplyDeleteEver since a young age a career in the medical sciences was an end goal for myself. Weather it was focused towards animals as a vet, elderly as a doctor in a nursing home, trauma doctor for the military overseas, or an anesthesiologist my focus was always on the future patient themselves and doing the best I possibly can to make them feel human and taken care of. This especially was a focus of mine after going through my accident in the hospital. There is no worse feeling than being in pain and mentally burdened by the thoughts that race through one's mind in a situation like that. To add on top of all of the turmoil having a doctor repeatedly tell you “You’ll never walk the same again” “How could you be so irresponsible” “This is a really bad” while hitting a shattered calcaneus (heel bone) stating its “not right” drastically breaks someone down. Reliving that night even through writing this brings me to tears. There are no words that can describe the desperation I felt that night learning I had two broken feet and later a broken wrist. The light through these first few days in the hospital was my orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr. Smith. He made me feel like a person again instead of another injury case. While he was not lying to me about the fight to walk normal or even run again was long and draining, Dr. Smith gave me hope and a resilient spirit to get better. Dr. Smith along with the nurses in the pediatrics ward at Swedish Hospital gave me a new outlook on life and a new drive for medicine: to create the same hopeful experience as I had. This is what medicine is about. It is about the vulnerability put forth by the patient and the doctors comfort and wisdom to help ease their minds as a solution is formed.
ReplyDeleteAs a person in the medical field I think that it is important for the doctor to create a personal connection with the patient. In my experience going to to hospitals many of the doctors that I see have a very quick visit with the patient and I end up having a more positive experience with nurses or physicians assistants because they spend more time with me and help make me feel like I am getting the care that I need.So this has lead me to think more about me going into nursing. I really like working one on one with people and developing connections with the people that I am helping. And I feel that the nurses are the ones that are doing more of the care for the patients and that is what I want to do. I believe that if a patient is calm and feels like they are getting the care that they need from people that care about them then things are more likely to o well. I think this because that patient is going to be calm and more open to treatments.
ReplyDeleteI have had good experiences with my doctor for check-ups and physicals. It helps that I have known my doctor for most of my life, and he also was my sisters as she was growing up. Because of this I tend to feel more comfortable with him and the others at the office. But I do think that what Dr. Verghese believes is true, more doctors are becoming more hands off with patients as technology advances. This can negatively affect the patient and doctor as they may not gain all information from the patient that could be helpful. I believe there needs to be a balance between these, the doctor needs to interact with the patient but also use technology to help solve and diagnose the problem as well. If I trained to be a doctor I would work towards creating this balance between technology and patient. So that the patient does not feel neglected and maintains trust with the doctors and nurses.
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