Many, if not most people find it very difficult to talk about uncomfortable topics to their doctor or nurse; subjects such as elder abuse, addiction, financial problems which make it impossible to pay for recommended medical care, and taboo health topics like incontinence. These discussions may be even more difficult for older individuals who grew up in an era when certain private matters were expected to remain just that, private. Many topics, such as those just mentioned, may leave the patient without the vocabulary skills needed to address the subject, and often clueless as to what their doctor needs to know in order to assist them.
Many other challenges can complicate patient/physician communications even further. One is poor timing. Often just when a patient works up the courage to address a difficult topic is exactly the moment the physician is preparing to leave the examining room. This all too common behavior, the last ditch attempt to broach an uncomfortable topic, not only frustrates healthcare providers but also leaves little time for a thorough discussion, which contributes to patients feelings that their concerns are not being addressed. One can easily see how a vicious circle for both parties can be so quickly and easily established. This will probably feel even more the case if the topic just brought up is already an uncomfortable one.
As baby boomers age the unprecedented demands on America’s healthcare system are already being felt and bringing us closer to the brink of collapse of quality care, as evidenced by the startling statistic of an estimated 98,000 deaths each year due to hospital error. Each of us must do our part to improve healthcare by working together to make every patient/physician interaction concise and productive, and somehow overcoming the reluctance to discuss uncomfortable topics - topics which addressed in a timely manner can lead to preventative healthcare, saving the system untold dollars.
There are many things we can do to improve communications in general. For instance when making an appointment for an office visit be sure to tell the person who is scheduling it that you think you might need a little more time to thoroughly discuss your needs with the doctor; then make sure this is at the top of your list so you are determined to bring it up first. Take time beforehand to think about and list the bullet points you intend to cover. If you have access to a fax or enough time for a letter to reach your doctor before your visit, you might consider sending a brief note regarding your questions so that the doctor can also prepare for your visit. Perhaps he or she may need to locate additional resources in order to help you.
