Many doctors speak medical jargon

Patients do not understand their doctors: many speak medical jargon

16/01/2012

In addition to the medical skills of the doctor, the relationship of trust between doctor and patient also plays an important role in the success of treatment. Doctors who are stressed, however, often do not respond to the patient, talk about him and not with him and build by their technical Chinese an unnecessarily large distance to the patient. A new guide for doctors shows that there is another way.

Empathy does not teach prospective doctors in medical school
If patients feel misunderstood and quickly handled by their doctor, it is almost impossible to build a bond of trust. Especially when communicating bad news tact is required by doctors. Trauma Surgeon Peter-Michael Hax, senior physician at a trauma clinic in Duisburg, explains: „There are doctors who can, who are, and some who can not.“ Although doctors today would no longer view themselves as demigods in white, there is a great need for action. He continues: „It can not always go well in medicine. And if the doctor then stops the communication, then that is a disaster.“ The accident surgeon therefore wrote together with his brother Thomas Hax-Schoppenhorst a guide for physicians with the title „Communication with patients in surgery“.

Thomas Hax-Schoppenhorst explains: „The patient not only comes to the doctor with his health problem, but he always brings his story, his shame, his fears. And addressing the whole person is not necessarily what doctors have learned in education.“

However, patients would not always fully understand a doctor's efforts to communicate well. Peter-Michael Hax reports on a female patient who was successfully operated from the medical point of view on the ankle, but still had severe discomfort. The accident surgeon had tried to make it clear to the patient that he was very concerned about her and took her complaints seriously. He was honest with the woman and taught her that he had tried everything with his team to help her but did not know what to do next. „The patient took this as very negative. She thought, 'The best accident surgeons can not help me anymore, they've given me up'.“

The visit to the hospital is especially frustrating
Patients often find hospital visits particularly frustrating. No wonder, because often the patient is ambushed by a horde of doctors, nurses and caregivers early in the morning. Instead of informing the patient about his state of health and possible treatment measures, the technical jargon briefly talks about him. Time to ask questions usually does not remain for the patient. In the doctors guide is from the „communicative super-Gau“ spoken.

Accident Surgeon Hax explains that the team usually has only 45 minutes for the visit and in this time the entire station must work. More time was not available because the doctors would then have to go to the operating room. His suggestion: two visits. One should take place in the morning only for the treating team and the other at noon for the patient to ask questions.

Hax further reports that women are often the better doctors because their communicative abilities are better and patients are happier. In addition, female doctors would be less likely to be sued for malpractice. Hax continues: „However, this often comes at the expense of a career, because communicating well takes time.“

The accident surgeon explains that the problem has long been recognized. For example, communication is now a must in medical studies. „And American liability insurance companies reduce their contributions to doctors when communication courses are proven.“

Even patients can contribute something to a positive conversation
Hax-Schoppenhorst advises patients to prepare well for an important conversation. Corresponding information can be found on the Internet and can be obtained from health insurance companies and doctors. He explains: „During the conversation you should not be upset with anything. Every question is justified. If a doctor does not want to accept this, the patient has probably landed at the wrong address.“ Furthermore, Hax-Schoppenhorst recommends: „Once I have taken confidence, I should put my fate in the hands of the professional after clarification of all questions.“

Naturopaths, osteopaths & Co. often take more time
Due to the negative experiences with doctors, not a few patients first turn to their alternative practitioner, osteopath or other specialist in the field of alternative medicine. Of course, these can not help in any case, because in principle it is advisable to seek medical advice in case of illness.

However, patients often have more positive experiences there. Thus, a naturopath usually takes more than an hour for the first appointment with his patient. The patient gains confidence more quickly, because he takes himself seriously and in the best case feels well cared for.

The services of health practitioners can not be billed to the statutory health insurance, so get the statutory insured an invoice that they have to pay privately. Also, many patients seem to be sympathetic to the better care in their eyes. Unfortunately, those who are either not privately insured or who can not afford to take a naturopathic treatment for financial reasons, have bad luck. They must hope that something will change in conventional medicine or that there will be a fundamental rethink in the statutory health system. „Patients need more care and time for recovery“, many health experts summarize. Then often expensive and expensive therapies and diagnostics could be avoided. (Ag)

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