However, the patient’s needs, wants, and expectations are more important than my own. She is the center of her health.
I will always:
• ask the patient what she wants, hopes, fears, believes to be true about her health,
• ask the patient what she prefers,
• tell the patient what options are available,
• if I am not able to do what the patient wants, explain why not, or
• ask the patient what her priorities are—whether in the moment, or in general.
I will never:
• assume that the patient wants the same things I do,
• blame the patient for their illness,
• belittle the patient for powerlessness,
• treat a patient worse than I would treat a family member, or
• check a box before I check with the patient.
Zackary Berger, MD, ACP Member, is a primary care doctor and general internist in the Division of General Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins. His research interests include doctor-patient communication, bioethics, and systematic reviews. He is also a poet, journalist and translator in Yiddish and English. This post originally appeared at his blog.
