Make Peace with Uncomfortable Feelings
For some otolaryngologists, talking about feelings with patients may bring on uncomfortable feelings of their own. They may not know what to say or prefer to stick to their area of expertise, which is fixing the physiological problem at hand. But whether a patient is upset during a pandemic or upset in general, sometimes all one has to do is be present for them.
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June 2021
It’s hard, but as physicians we need to remember that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable. Even just sitting with someone can be amazingly helpful. —Amber Luong, MD, PhD
Dr. Luong said she has had several patients upset for various reasons, not just COVID-19-related, and while it may not be easy, she considers it a privilege to be there for them.
“It’s hard, but as physicians we need to remember that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable. Even just sitting with someone can be amazingly helpful,” she said. “Being a doctor isn’t just about disease; it’s about helping people. Something as simple as letting them talk and really listening can go a long way. And it really doesn’t take a lot of time.”
Dr. Mann doesn’t shy away from speaking with his patients about emotions either, finding it helpful to do this first during an appointment, which makes it easier for him to pivot to his other medical recommendations later. “Engaging them, even briefly, about their emotional state can build a stronger therapeutic relationship and validate a patient’s concerns,” he said.
Reap the Rewards
Dr. Luong said that when her emotional patient returned a month later for a recheck, she seemed like “a totally different person.” The patient said she was grateful that the doctor was able to notice how sad she was about being unable to see her family and that having someone notice something she couldn’t quite put her finger on had made her feel much better. The patient also emphasized how much she appreciated her doctor taking the time to talk with her about what she was going through.
“Yes, a lot of symptoms can overlap,” said Dr. Luong, “but what I learned from this experience as a physician is that we have to remember that our first art is observation. When things don’t match up, we have to take a step back and observe what’s going on, particularly when people are going through emotional things that can mimic various diseases or even make those diseases worse. Even if I saw something more obvious in her sinuses, I should still investigate further, because she just wasn’t acting like herself.”