*Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. As the numbers of people infected and dying from COVID-19 grow, so do fear and apprehension about what lies ahead. Clear, effective communication to help patients navigate this unknown territory is critical. Dr. Alexander Chiu, ENTtoday’s physician editor, recently highlighted this in a commentary […]
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A controlled substance agreement can help a physician communicate expectations for their pain medication treatment plan, and guidelines for safe usage by their patients
Direct communication and a concern for the patient’s welfare should guide the process of terminating a physician-patient relationship
Incorporating health literacy practices into patient care.
One of William Dale’s healthiest patients was working out three times a week, regularly walking two miles, lifting weights, maintaining a stable body weight of 120 pounds and not on any medications when she was diagnosed with a stage IV ovarian cancer. Dale, MD, PhD, section chief of geriatrics and palliative medicine at the University of Chicago, said the patient did fine with both surgery and chemotherapy. The fact that she was 89 years old, he said, shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise.
The science of medicine continues to expand rapidly, and this is obviously good for humanity. The art of medicine, on the other hand, has been largely forgotten. This skill is the basis of the time-honored physician-patient relationship and is an important aspect of good patient care. So why have so many physicians forgotten this basic skill? Why would a caring physician disregard any expertise that would benefit his patient?
More often than not, members of the public are confused about which health care providers are physicians and which are not. That uncertainty is expected to increase as the trend toward non-physician providers earning doctorate degrees continues and as demand for services grows with the millions of people gaining insurance under the 2010 health reform law.
