1. Keep turning around and looking at your computer screen when your patient is trying to talk to you
This is consistently one of the things that annoys patients the most. Of course, it's very difficult for doctors as well, who have a crazy high amount of bureaucratic “tick boxes” to satisfy, but try setting aside a dedicated amount of time to just sit face-to-face and talk the good old fashioned way.
2. Make it obvious you are in a hurry
Humans are perceptive animals, and we can all sense when someone is trying desperately to get away from us! Be aware of the subtle body language clues that will give this away, including starting to walk away (in a hospital), cutting people off, or worst of all—telling the patient how busy you are.
3. Asking only closed questions
There's often more grey in medicine than black or white, and there's not always a “yes” or “no” answer out there. A medical history is a story, not a robotic set of tick boxes. Open-ended questions typically start with a “how”, “what”, “when”—or a phrase like “Tell me about”. Closed-ended questions demand yes and no answers only, such as: “Do you have abdominal pain?” There is a way to balance open-ended questions with staying focused and time efficient.
4. Making it sound like a patient's problem is trivial
The amount of trust placed in physicians is humbling. Patients will pour their heart and soul out to you, and share their innermost secrets after knowing you for just a few minutes. If your patient is telling you something that's on their mind, never be dismissive
5. Not allow any time for questions
Remember health care is a matter of life and death a lot of the time. What could possibly be more important to either the patient or their loved ones? Of course they are going to have lots of questions, and it's a privilege to be in a position to answer them with your knowledge
The majority of physicians do a superb job in difficult and high pressure circumstances on a daily basis. We all fall short at times and can do a little better. Gentle reminders that we work in a unique and special profession, are always important.
Suneel Dhand, MD, ACP Member, is a practicing physician in Massachusetts. He has published numerous articles in clinical medicine, covering a wide range of specialty areas including; pulmonology, cardiology, endocrinology, hematology, and infectious disease. He has also authored chapters in the prestigious "5-Minute Clinical Consult" medical textbook. His other clinical interests include quality improvement, hospital safety, hospital utilization, and the use of technology in health care. This post originally appeared at his blog.
