There are a lot of questions involved in delivering healthcare.
What are your symptoms?
When did they start?
Do you have any family history?
Are you currently taking any medication?
We all have forms and electronic health records with lots of boxes to check off and fill in to gather the background information we need. This process has become more automated in recent years which while it certainly has its advantages, can have a downside, too. The danger is that we become more detached from the human side of practicing medicine if we are not careful and intentional in our approach.
The demands for personalized, patient-centered care are greater than ever before. This requires questions that may fall outside the usual EHR checklist. You know what the data, tests and exams tell you and what you want to see improve, but do you take the time to know what the patient wants? Are you really listening to them? What are their health goals? Where have they come from? What was the happiest time period in their life and why? What is most important to them right now? Where do they want to go and what do they still hope to achieve?
A recent article in JAMA Network digs into this subject even deeper, and I highly recommend reading it. It shares the story of a misunderstood patient and how shallow perceptions shaped the care he received. It advocates for more patient-centered care plans and shares ideas on how to achieve this. One of my favorite questions they suggest for primary care physicians dealing with chronic disease patients is, “What were you like before getting sick?”
Effective healthcare is about relationships. It is about asking the right questions and sincerely listening to the responses. It is about partnership and working together toward a shared goal.
Building a successful medical practice is more than a science. There is an art to it as well, and it starts with building and nurturing better relationships.