The Practice Guide
3 . Collaborating with Patients and Others
Providing the best quality care for the people of Ontario requires physicians to work together effectively — with patients , other doctors and other health professionals — within the organizations , institutions and systems for health care delivery in Ontario .
Collaboration with an individual patient is essential to providing good medical care . The physician must work with the patient in order to understand the patient ’ s health care needs , to formulate treatment plans that are optimal for the patient , to ensure that the patient remains informed about his or her care , and to address patient questions and concerns . To maximize the effectiveness of collaboration , physicians must have patients ’ trust , which is maintained , in part , through effective communication and treating patients with respect .
Collaboration is not only about getting along and treating others with respect — although this is extremely important — it is also about recognizing and accepting the unique roles and contributions of other health professionals . The best interests of patients are served when physicians utilize the skills of others , whether they are physicians or other health professionals .
Good quality health care is often delivered by a team of professionals and individuals who contribute expertise in a variety of ways . To achieve the goal of providing the best possible health care to patients , physicians should also make a commitment to those others who share this goal . Physicians should work respectfully and collaboratively with other members of the health care team to maximize the quality of patients ’ care .
4 . Communicating with Patients and Others Good communication is a fundamental component
of a trusting doctor-patient relationship . Communications with patients , their families , colleagues , and other health care professionals should always reflect civility and professionalism .
Physicians should ensure that patients are appropriately informed about their medical care . All communication with patients should recognize an individual patient ’ s autonomy and demonstrate a collaborative approach to patient decision-making .
Physicians should demonstrate cultural sensitivity in their communication with patients and families .
Physicians should demonstrate an awareness of their own values and how their values relate to or differ from those of their patients and families .
While communicating with compassion and engendering the trust of patients are vital to the doctorpatient relationship , physicians should also be aware of boundary issues and the potential for transference in the doctor-patient relationship .
Should conflict arise , either between the physician and patient , or the patient ’ s family , the physician should work with the patient , the patient ’ s family ( if the patient consents ) and any other supports to resolve the conflict respectfully . However , if the patient wishes to limit the information available to family or even other health care professionals who are also providing care , the physician must respect that decision .
In communications with the community at large , physicians must ensure that representations they make are , to the best of their knowledge , truthful .
Physicians should participate in educating patients and colleagues to ensure that medical knowledge is appropriately conveyed to facilitate health promotion and disease prevention .
Welcome to the College – May 2016 14