TWO PATIENTS IN ONE
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After many sleepless nights and talking to my patients and colleagues , the two things that stood out from an emotional standpoint were : 1 .) It is a team effort that may not be achieved over one visit and 2 .) Patients want to be listened to and want reassurances that we have a plan to take care of them . An example of this is saying , “ I understand that this is not the news that you would have liked to hear . However , I assure you that my staff and I will be there to help you get through this and we will give you and your child all the support and care he or she needs .”
While the diagnosis may be the same , patients have different emotional responses to their unexpected new worries . Therefore , I believe open-ended questions add a lot of value and offer an insight into the patients ’ thoughts and concerns . Questions such as , “ What can I do to help ?” “ Do you feel well taken care of ?” and “ What is the most important thing to you ?” help us guide them on their journey and tailor a plan that bests suits their wishes , personal values and needs . This will also foster a stronger bond between the patient and the doctor , one built on trust . The decision-making must involve the family , which is of utmost importance . It is important to offer non-medical resources to your patients such as support groups or patients who have similar stories , as they will offer a different perspective that can only come from someone who has lived the experience .
We could easily forget that while we deal with these difficult situations on a daily basis , our patients have been thrust into them for the very first time . This brings a story to mind that I encountered very early in my medical career . I had the privilege of working with a well-known cardiologist who was excellent in what he did , always going in the pre-op area and smiling and asking his patients , “ What are you worried about ? It is only a cardiac cath .” It just so happened that I was the intern who admitted him for his cardiac cath . I did not see a smile on his face , he was deep in thought and prayer . I looked at him and said , “ What are you worried about ? It is only a cardiac cath .” He nervously smiled and simply said , “ Unless it is being done on you .” Thankfully he recovered and was back to work . However , his approach to patients undergoing cardiac procedures completely changed . This was a key moment for me , and it put things into perspective .
I chose to write about this topic not because the information is new or unknown by many , but because it is something that can easily be forgotten or neglected while we are navigating our busy day . This holds even truer during the many current challenges that we face in our health care systems , whether it be secondary to COVID-19 or shortage in health care personnel . This serves as a reminder to make sure that we are giving our patients the best care possible . We all strive for this ; we know good care encompasses their emotional needs as well as physical . But do we act on that always ?
So next time you walk into a patient ’ s room , you might begin with a smile , and ask , “ How are you , what has this been like for you ?” Just saying later , “ I know this must be difficult for you ,” can make all the difference . Dr . ElFarra is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist with Norton Health Group . Taha ElFarra is a student at Kentucky Country Day School . ( non-member )
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