In dealing with patients the
traditional Patient-Doctor relationship model has been that doctor should
remain cool, calm and collected at all times.
Doctor’s approach needs to be
strictly scientific, logical, objective, methodical precise and
dispassionate. This model has been since the era of William Osler, the
father of modern medicine. The term used is imperturbability which means
coolness and presence of mind under all circumstances.
Osler said a rare and precious
gift to doctor is right of detachment. The right of detachment insulates
the doctors and protects them from the powerful emotions that patients display
in their presence like anger, frustration, grief, rage and bewilderment.
It also insulates patients from the rolling emotions that doctors may at times
feel towards them.
However, a detached attitude also
insulates doctors from empathizing with patients. A detached doctor may
talk in a language that is over patient’s head.
Detachment is not like a light
switch that you can turn on and off to suit the situation. Detachment as
a practice cannot be in isolation if it becomes your personal style of
distracting from the world, it may not be just for the patients but also from
your colleague, family friends and even yourself.
I recall when I joined by
hospital the first lesson given to me by my boss was not to get unduly attached
with patients. As etiquette, we were taught not to socialize with
patients. Even today the new American Guidelines talk that doctors should
not socialize with their patients on social media including Facebook.
Even doctors are human beings and their personal life should not be known to
the patients. As far as law suits are concerned, it is equally true that
known close patient’s file a law suit much more than unknown people because
over a period of time they know your weakness. One should learn to
empathize with the patients and yet be detached from its results. Doctors
who follow Bhagwat Geeta understand this concept very well.
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