Doctors Understanding of Patient Experience - Essay Example

DOCTORS’ UNDERSTANDING OF PATIENT EXPERIENCE RELATIVE TO ILLNESS/DISABILITY FOR QUALITY MEDICAL CARE Introduction Most of the modern world medical practitioners tend to focus extensively on the common models of health, which include gathering patient information relative to their history and examination of the illness/disability (Rotter, 2014). Typically, this forms a basis for further investigation, treatment and clinical measures that they consider as a successful provision of quality medical care. However, it is prevalent that this approach lacks the essential patient-doctor relationship based on understanding both party’s perceptions and views on illness/disability. Normally, patients and doctors have discrepancies when it comes to giving health care intervention and even though the doctor has standard expertise, scientifically, the patient contributions could have significant influence. Based on observations and summary findings from past studies on patient-doctor relationship, there lacks successful provision of quality health care unless there is a clear understanding of everyone’s experience on illness/disability (Gray, 2004). Relatively, the customary tactic to patient evaluation that entails extensive attention on clinical and laboratory analysis normally lies on the doctor’s observations and ratings thus, overlooking the patient’s experience and contribution (Conrad, 2010). However, understanding each other creates an optimal level of functioning and further communication, particularly fixation on understanding leads to discovery of additional attributes significant for the doctor’s intervention model. Essentially, understanding the patient’s experience of the illness/disability is a significant influence on the doctor’s provision of quality medical care in multiple ways. In fact, some of the recent studies depict a high number of cases where understanding the patient and quality of life has led to great breakthroughs (Conrad, 2010). Resolutely, the discussion section of the paper elaborates more on the different ways in which understanding the patient’s experience influences medical care. Discussion Wrongful interpretation is among the common medical blunders that lead to adverse and preventable implications in health care provision. In the past, there have been misinterpretations of patient’s illness/disability popular around the globe as an attempt to exemplify the gravity of such occurrences, particularly in medical settings. Correct interpretation is one of the core significances of understanding patient’s experience of illness/disability, for not only the doctors but also other medical practitioners (Gray, 2004). Misinterpretation has become prevalent among doctors leading to adverse outcomes such as death or additional health complications. In most cases, the lack of understanding leads to misstated diagnosis hence altered or incorrect descriptions by doctors. These are the most popular but dissimilar studies by organizations such as the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) confirm additional cases such as misconceptions on the significance of follow-up sessions or referrals and leaving nurses and social workers to interpret increasing the risk of misunderstandings (Rotter, 2014). Effective communication influences successful and quality medical care, especially if the doctor and patient take time to understand each other’s perceptions (Gray, 2004). One would argue the success part mostly emanates from the non-contractual partnership between the doctor and patient. Understanding the patient’s experience of the illness/disability, which is part of the partnership, does not only help the doctor but also creates a platform where the patient learns more about their condition. The extended edification resulting from the understanding provides dissimilar ways to counter the illness/disability. Based on the level of understanding, the doctor could involve the patient in decision-making, which symbolizes establishment of mutual expectations and objectives (Rotter, 2014). With recent advancements in medical care provision, there are multiple models based on assisting doctors to develop standard approaches to understanding the patients and their conditions. Definitely, they have significant influence on communication and the doctor-patient relationships in general, particularly by depicting the need for understanding patients. Assertively, understanding the illness/disability experience demonstrates responsiveness, apprehension and humanism, all of which contribute to patient satisfaction and provision of quality medical care. Moreover, the persistence on understanding of the patients experience creates trust, promotes fast curing and finally improves the outcomes of every visit. On the other hand, the doctors get professional satisfaction once the understanding influences the quality of medical care (Conrad, 2010). Obviously, it leads to proficient respect thus attracting more patients. Generally, doctors should improve on understanding the patient to avoid the common lawsuits resulting from malpractice. Relative to the medical profession, answering some of the scientific questions is usually hard but most of the doctors fail to acknowledge communication is more important than the scientific knowledge (Conrad, 2010). This advocates for the understanding of the patient prior to asking the scientific questions i.e. about the symptoms, aching body parts etc. Precisely, understanding the patient’s experience first creates the necessary platform for open communication. In fact, the doctor’s information is equally important for the patient and without understanding, they get nothing out of the consultation. Some of the illnesses/disabilities affect the patients’ health and lives too hence, in addition to the diagnosis; the doctors need to communicate on these effects (Gray, 2004). This requires an understanding of the patient’s life and experience first before making summary conclusions. How the doctor perceives a patient can change their condition experience severely, especially when the doctor overlooks some questions or answers them wrongly. Obviously, this could lead to a long period of baseless panic and fear. Deep relations base on comprehensive understanding of a patient and taking time to explicate their illness/disability in details and using their lifestyle as the core reference. This influences the state of security as part of the patient’s thoughts (Rotter, 2014). Discussions on the condition help the doctor to learn more about the patient’s experience and they can be able to establish past interventions or treatment that did not work hence save time implementing similar initiatives. Conclusion Communication is in the forefront when it comes to providing quality care under modern medicine. Definitely, understanding and detail-driven consultations improve patient experience about their illness/disability paving way for quality medical care. Moreover, the understanding improves the doctor’s guarantee of patient safety (Rotter, 2014). However, the key to successful understanding lies in the addressing of communication barriers, which assists the doctors in simultaneously executing safety strategies, risk management initiatives and adhering to the legal mandates. Decisively, there is much significance relative to understanding the patient’s experience of the illness/disability but the doctor’s focus, relative to delivering quality medical care, should be attaining patient satisfaction, utilizing resources appropriately and increasing the access to health care, particularly through the context-driven discussions (Gray, 2004). Bibliography Conrad, P. 2010, ‘The Social Construction of Illness’: Journal of Health and Social Behavior, vol. 51(1), pp. 67-79 Gray, D. 2004, ‘Patients’ Needs, Satisfaction and Health Related Quality of Life’: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, vol. 2(32), pp. 105–106 Rotter, D. 2014, ‘Patient-Physician Communication’: American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, viewed 19 May 2015, http://www.aaos.org/about/papers/advistmt/1017.asp Read More