Psychology in Improving Doctor-Patient Relationship - Essay Example

? Psychology in Improving Doctor-Patient Relationship Task: Psychology in Improving Doctor-Patient Relationship Introduction In general, the patient-physician bond should be an even one, founded on reliance, integrity, reverence and a shared aspiration to improve the health situation of the patients. However, in the current trend of doctor-patient relationships in the 21st century, one can tell that it is problematic, with the patient being the greatest loser. Moreover, there is no unique relationship between patients and caregivers. As a result, many patients lack faith in their said caregivers, thereby undermining the real value of the relationship, which is the patent’s fast recovery. Therefore, this document unequivocally highlights the loopholes in the patient-physician relationship, and the involvement of psychological ethics in bridging the gap between medicine and psychology for the eventual benefit of the patients (Ayer, 2006). Patients’ Challenges Some physicians seem to be medically paternal, where they make most crucial decisions regarding the health of a patient, and the patient has little or no influence. The doctors do not usually consult the patient in matters pertaining to their treatment, an instance being surgery. However, though treatment is for the good of the patient, physicians need to consult their patient for their opinion regarding a chosen treatment procedure. Besides, with most caregivers inclining to bioethics code of conduct, this problem will gradually diminish. In a real life example, Thomas White, a once active engineer and father of seven retired due to his inactivity resulting from his old age. Unfortunately, when his wife died, he moved and spent most of his wife with his daughter. The death of his wife significantly affected his psychological health, as he most of the times forgot ordinary home activities. White later developed Lou Gehrig’s disease, a condition where neurons in the central nervous system gradually degenerate. Moreover, his heartbeat slowed to 38 beats per minute. His daughter took him to a local hospital where physicians recommended a pacemaker implant for White, without explaining the adverse effects associated with it to her offspring (daughter). It was not until the daughter read an Article in the NY Times that she intervened. In addition, ill health is not a responsibility of the patient. Conversely, it is the patient’s utmost desire to alleviate the illness. However, some caregivers consider patients as the main cause of their problems, arguing that the patients actively involved themselves in acquiring various diseases, examples HIV/AIDS and lung cancer. This severely affects the patient’s attempt to air his or her problems, since it dents their personality (Ayer, 2006). Cases regarding bully doctors and other healthcare providers harassing patients have also risen over the past few years. An example of this includes sexual harassment by doctors, mainly male doctors perpetrating this to innocent female patients. As a result, the patients feel guilty and develop mistrust and contempt to the healthcare providers. This severely hampers the patient-physician relationship and its ultimate goal of patient’s health improvement (Darkins & Cary, 2000). Moreover, the current state of the economic recession has prompted some unscrupulous physicians to be money-oriented, focusing more on the economic aspect of their profession instead of the welfare of the patients. As a result, healthcare givers grant their patients few appointments (Fitzpatrick, 2001). Furthermore, this behavior is detrimental to the recuperation process of the patients. Moreover, some doctors are disreputable for using complex terminologies that patients do not understand. While issuing instructions to the patients, they tend to use sophisticated medical terminologies, leaving the patient confused about his or her health situation. Besides, some patients acquaint themselves with enough research about their health situation using the internet and other medical manuscripts. As a result, some doctors feel threatened by their patents’ knowledge, thereby developing a negative attitude towards such patients. This has a severe impact on the patient-physician relationship, as well as the patient’s healing process. Psychology as a profession has been significant in bridging the gap between psychology and medicine, to the eventual benefit of the patients. Firstly, psychology extensively teaches communication skills to experts in nearly all professions. With proper communication skills, doctors are able to serve their patients courteously, and thus the patients feel free to air all their agonies. This significantly improves the recuperating process of the patients. Moreover, patients with high quality communication skills are capable of dealing with supercilious doctors, tom their own benefit. Another aspect of psychology in medicine is honesty. In the 21st century, many health institutions have experienced an upsurge of insincere doctors. Their principal mission is to deceive and explore unsuspecting patients. These doctors go to the extent of prescribing wrong medication, to their own financial gain (Fitzpatrick, 2001). As a result, innocent patients suffer the consequences of hefty bills without much improvement of their health. On the other hand, some patients give doctors wrong information about their health situation. Through psychological training, both patients and the doctors apprehend the importance of honesty, thereby improving service delivery in health institutions. Recently many physicians have faced challenging occasions, where patient requests for services that are legally and morally unaccepted, with a promise of high financial return. Such illegal services as unauthorized abortion may be detrimental to the patients’ wellbeing (Darkins & Cary, 2000). In such a case, a morally upright doctor declines the offer, but politely advises his or her clients on a proper method to solve their predicaments. In this way, psychology helps in saving the patients’ lives, since some of these services may turn out to be fatal. Additionally, it improves the doctor-patient relationship, since wise patients begin to trust their physicians. Psychology also teaches professional ethics to experts, including health practitioners to treat their patients with dignity, while eliminating all aspects of racial, gender and other forms of discrimination. In the earlier days, doctors perceived their patients as helpless individuals who desperately need their services. As a result, most physicians lacked professional morals and treated their patients with disrespect. However, with the advancement of psychological knowledge, this has significantly changed and most doctors treat their patients in a professionally ethical manner. Consequently, the main beneficiaries of this professional evolution are the patients. Currently, with the advancement of technology, many patients have acquired vast knowledge about their health conditions and may disagree with their physicians when it comes to their treatment. As a result, health practitioners feel frustrated with such patients, since they perceive them as trying to test their professional expertise. Psychologically prudent physicians are tolerant with their patients in such cases and explain the importance of their chosen treatment methods. Conclusion The central reason of the doctor-patient relationship is an improvement of the patients’ health. However, patients face numerous challenges in their interactions with these physicians. Doctors’ arrogance, bullying, dishonesty and incompetence in some of the doctors are some of the challenges facing patients. This has a detrimental effect in the physical and mental wellbeing of the patients. Fortunately, psychology has significantly aided in eliminating these vices towards the promotion of physician-doctor relationship, and consequent benefit of the patient in terms of health improvement. Learning professional ethics such as communication skills, honesty and non-bias taught in psychology, has remarkably improved service delivery leading to the ultimate improvement of the patients’ health. References Ayer, W. (2006). Psychology and Dentistry: Mental Health Aspects of Patient Care. New York, NY: Haworth Press Inc. Darkins, A., & Cary, M. (2000). Telemedicine and Telehealth: Principles, Policies, Performance and Pitfalls. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.   Fitzpatrick, M. (2001). The Tyranny of Health: Doctors and the Regulation of Lifestyle. New York, NY: Routledge Publishers.   Read More