ADVISOR

DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIPS

Since the earliest days of medicine, practitioners have recognized the importance of the relationship between doctors and patients. (It’s even enshrined in the Hippocratic Oath: First, do no harm.) Even so, health care is a top-down experience for most patients.

Often, we view doctors as authority figures who make all the decisions about our treatment, and today the constraints of insurance companies seem to narrow our choices even further. It’s no wonder patients sometimes feel like they don’t have much say in regards to their own health care.

Are you ready for the good news? That ideology is slowly changing, as evidence continues to mount that a heightened emphasis on patient-centered care provides better results for the whole team: patients, their families and health care providers.

“I approach my patients as people I plan to spend the rest of my life with,” says Dr. Jorge Ontiveros, an internist with Doctor’s Hospital.

“You have to have their best interests at heart. You have to genuinely care about their issues. I would even say, treat them like family.”

Today, many doctors recognize that a technologically correct diagnosis is only one facet of treating a patient.

“You can’t just say, ‘Your problem is X,’” says Dr. Hampton Richards of Walnut Hill Ob/Gyn.

“You have to figure out what their end goal is. And that re- ally ties into who they are, where they come from and what their life is like. The key to helping a patient get better is to figure out what is unique for her. Sometimes, the same complaint means different things to different patients.”

Mayo Clinic research indicates that when treatment decisions are shared between patients and doctors, best practices can be combined with patients’ values and preferences. The

Jeffrey M. Thurston, M.D

David M. Bookout, M.D.

Julie M. Hagood, M.D.

James K. Richards, M.D. (center row)

Jennifer Muller, M.D.

John D. Bertrand, M.D. (front row) new thinking attempts to blend the clinical side of medicine lab results, statistics and machines — with greater attention to the patient’s experience. The impersonal nature of technology makes a connection to the physician more important than ever. expectations realistic.”

Jane E. Nokleberg, M.D.

Hampton B. Richards, M.D.

The patient’s experience begins in the reception room. If the space feels cold or unwelcoming, it can add unnecessary stress to the visit.

Trust and communication help increase satisfaction with the outcome for both doctor and patient.

When care is patient-centered, doctors make sure patients have all the information they need about their options. As technology advances, there is often more than one good choice.

Patients also have more responsibility in the partnership. They must tell doctors their priorities, and their lifestyle choices (such as nutrition or sleep habits) can enhance treatment success. A good relationship with a doctor increases the likelihood that a patient will follow through on healthy behaviors.

“We strive to provide a courteous relationship and a relaxing environment, where people will feel comfortable talking about difficult issues,” says Dr. Julie Vu, an associate Brothers & Crochet Ob/Gyn Associates of Dallas, LLP. This applies whether she is working with an expectant mother or a woman in menopause.

“Often, women have read a lot about childbirth, and have very specific wishes,” Dr. Vu says. “We try hard to let them h ave the kind of delivery they would like, while keeping their

Something as simple as keeping appointments close to the scheduled time is an acknowledgment that while the doctor’s time is valuable, so is the patient’s. This is another example of how clinicians are focusing on the patient experience rather than the old model of emphasis on efficient delivery, where sometimes clinical excellence seems to be divorced from simple courtesy.

Not only is patient-centered care the right thing to do from a standpoint of better health outcomes, but evidence shows it also leads to a wiser allocation of resources. Researchers have reason to hope that as doctors and clinics increase their awareness of patient-centered care, the doctor-patient relationship will continue to evolve toward partnership and increased success in patient treatment.

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