A Doctor's Point of View on the Doctor Patient Relationship

So to end I feel a doctor should be competent with a sound knowledge base, that inspires confidence in the patient. A sick patient is at his most vulnerable self, he needs to know he can trust the doctor to heal him back to health. If the doctor can go about doing this with empathy and humanity, he is my ideal doctor.

From a doctor's perspective, why do you feel that so many people do not ask questions of their doctor?

I see all types of patients and caregivers/ family members. Some shall ask tons of questions, many not even relevant to their medical condition. As a physician I have learned to be patient and answer their questions to the best of my knowledge. I realize they are worried and seek reassurance.

Then there are others who seem unconcerned about their health problem. You are telling them they have a potentially fatal condition and they shall still pick up their cell phone to answer a call. So to answer your question, everyone is built differently and handles their medical problems differently. For some knowledge is power, the more they know about the medical condition that plagues them, the more empowered they feel. Others would rather not know or are in denial or maybe they just trust their doctor to do what is best for them.

From your perspective is it good for the patient to have researched their disorder on the internet before coming to see you?

I wrote an article on this on my website and blog.  I titled it "Paging Dr. Google". The Internet has revolutionized the way medical information is disseminated. You type in the name of any disease or just type in your symptom like for example twitching in the arms and legs and lo and behold pages and pages of information is available for one to review.

But one has to use this power correctly and responsibly. First of all one needs to know what plagues them, you type in a wrong disease and you shall get the wrong information. You type in twitching in arms and legs and the first page that comes up is about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). You shall understandably panic thinking you have a potentially fatal neurological condition. The Internet is not a doctor, it shall not be able to refine your history and examine you thoroughly before reassuring you that you do not have ALS, rather you have benign fasciculations.

I encourage people to research their disorder on the Internet but I guide them how to go about doing so. Random Google searches is not the right way. There are many reputable websites which offer information which has been written by health professionals especially with patient information in mind.

In your opinion what is the most common topic for disagreement between doctors and patients?

Doctors and patients may disagree on a whole range of topics if their relationship is not based on trust and mutual respect. I feel conflicts can be avoided if information is conveyed to the patient and their caregivers in a timely manner. As a physician I always outline my plan of care to the patient clearly in a language he or she understands. I try to keep medical jargon to the minimum. Moreover I am always honest; I do not give a false sense of reassurance to a patient suffering from a fatal disorder. I tell them how things stand as of now, what can be done and what shall be the outcome in the future. I feel patients always feel better once they know what lies ahead. This is also very true for patients who suffer from chronic disabling neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis. It helps them prepare for the future; it helps them accept their diagnosis. It is not easy but a good doctor patient relationship sure can make it easier.