Trick or Treat - a survival guide to health care
11 Seeing through smoothing The Sick Man and his Doctor: A sick man was visited by his doctor. "How are you, today?" asked the doctor. "Slightly better but I sweat a lot" replied the sick
man. "That is a good sign. You will improve," said the doctor. Next day, the doctor
asked the same question and the sick man replied, "I have repeated chills and rigours.” The doctor patted him and said, "That is a good sign.” The next day
when the doctor made a visit, the patient told him, "I feel hot and feverish.” The doctor reassured him, "Oh, it is a very good sign of recovery," and left. On the next
day, to the doctor's usual query, the sick man replied in a dejected voice, "Doctor! I am dying of good signs." Comments This fable rings true even today! Such mindless smooth talk does anything but
reassure. Some reasons why many physicians smooth talk are: wrong modelling, lack of
empathy, mistaken notion that smooth talking is the best way of reassuring patients and
plain carelessness. You may not mind smooth talks but you should watch out for a
careless doctor.
The following are some warning signs that suggest that your doctor may not be
doing his/her best to help you. The doctor –
does not listen to what you are saying. 37
