Despite our best efforts, not every doctor-patient relationship is a positive one. While we hope these situations will occur rarely, it’s important to know what your options are when there’s a patient in your practice whom you feel should be dismissed for his or her own good—and for the good…
Read more »
Sometimes as doctors, we are the cause of bottlenecks in our own medical offices. After all, we only have 24 hours in a day, and the number of patients we can see, examine, and talk to is going to be limited. “When used strategically, technology can help to amplify a…
Read more »
I am now seeing a new type of patient—the e-patient. Many of these highly informed, high-tech patients come to my referral clinic from Pune and Bangalore—the Silicon Valley of India. “E-patients are often experts about their own conditions or illnesses—and they are happy to share their expertise with others.” -Aniruddha…
Read more »
When a patient says he or she wants to seek a second opinion from another physician, it’s natural to feel somewhat territorial or even offended. However, if you approach second opinions with the right mind set, they can be good for you and for your patients. They also can be…
Read more »
One of the great mysteries of medicine for patients is why doctors charge what they do. Some are amazed at the fact that bright young doctors are willing to work long hours for patients whom they do not know, for an income that is not bad, but that is much…
Read more »
Not every doctor’s approach to medicine is a fit for every patient. This is just as well, as patients have different mind sets as well. In the best of both worlds, each patient will find the doctor who meshes best with his or her style. “Humor is one of the…
Read more »
indicates a Peer-Reviewed Article
Patient communication: Simplicity is best
In general, most doctors fall into 2 categories when it comes to patient communication. There is one group which tends to make everything extremely complicated. They use a lot of technical medical jargon, and often will end up mystifying patients by overcomplicating explanations of the disease process and treatment options….
Read more »